The 9 Countries That Have Boycotted the World Cup Finals

The build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been controversial, and US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on countries has previously cast doubt on Germany’s participation, while recent military attacks could see Iran pull out of the competition.

There are just months until the international tournament kicks off in the USA, Mexico and Canada and with the United States and Israel killing Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it remains unclear as to how the violence will impact the footballing world.

Prior to that, the US President prompted European leaders to hit back at his plans, after Trump made it clear he is seeking to acquire Greenland for security reasons. The largest island in the world is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and its foreign policy and defence are handled by Denmark.

Trump has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on all goods imported into the US from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. This, along with the attacks on Iran, could have repercussions on this summer’s World Cup.

US Attacks Mean Iran ‘Unlikely’ To Attend World Cup

Iran are scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the USA this summer. They face New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles, Belgium on 21 June in the same city, and finally Egypt in Seattle on 26 June. However, they may not attend the World Cup.

Indeed, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has claimed that it is now ‘unlikely’ that his nation will be at the 2026 World Cup. He said:

If that happens, it seems as though the United Arab Emirates could emerge as the nation to replace Iran. They aren’t the only team that could potentially withdraw from the tournament either.

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Overnight bombings across the Middle East in the early hours of Saturday morning have renewed speculation about Iran’s boycott of the 2026 World Cup.

Trump Threat Also Risks Germany Pulling out of World Cup

In January 2026, German politician Jurgen Hardt (CDU) claimed in an interview with BILD that Germany could withdraw from the World Cup. While he noted that it is considered a “last resort” to get Trump to “see sense.”

Trump’s politics have been a major talking point ahead of the tournament, as have concerns over security in the US. There has also been massive backlash over ticket prices, although FIFA claim Germany is one of seven countries, aside from the hosts, that have submitted the most ticket applications.

There is now a possibility that Julian Nagelsmann’s men will not take part in the World Cup if Trump insists on acquiring Greenland. There had already been suggestions from Spanish government officials that Luis de la Fuente’s European champions could also boycott the tournament.

Germany is the joint-second-most successful team in World Cup history, having won the tournament on four occasions. The European nation is set to travel to the US for an international friendly on June 6th, just days before the competition officially kicks off.

Germany and Iran Would not be First to Miss a World Cup

If Germany were to sit out this summer’s World Cup, it would be the 10th time a nation has boycotted the world’s biggest football competition. These countries have made the decision for various reasons, including political and preference-based factors.

The inaugural world champions, Uruguay, declined to defend their crown in 1934 in protest after several European countries refused to travel to South America for the 1930 event, which they hosted. This is the only time the defending champions haven’t participated; instead, they sat at home while the tournament took place in Italy.

The Uruguayans weren’t the only nations to snub that year’s World Cup, as England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were also absent. The Home Nations decided to instead prioritise their Home Championship, which they viewed as more prestigious at the time.

Argentina joined Uruguay in boycotting the 1938 World Cup after it was decided to host it in Europe rather than South America. This meant the 1930 finalists didn’t compete at the event eight years on from their meeting.

The seventh nation to withdraw from the competition was India, which claimed to have opted out because it didn’t believe the tournament was overly important. This is debated, though, as reports suggest the country was refused participation because its players played barefoot at the time.

Finances were the reason Turkey rejected the opportunity to participate in 1950, as the country was put off by the costs of sending its team to South America. It would be 24 years before another nation boycotted the World Cup, and that was the USSR in 1974.

The USSR hadn’t sealed their place in the tournament but were disqualified after refusing to play the second leg of a World Cup qualifier against Chile in November 1973. Their refusal was due to the fixture being played in the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, shortly after the CIA-backed military coup had overthrown the socialist government of Salvador Allende.