The trains in the German city of Stuttgart are quite full. At each stop, people wearing German kits get on. There is talk about the German national football team and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In late March, Germany plays Ghana in the final international break before World Cup preparations begin. Many fans began their journey first thing in the morning, including Dennis and Kai.
The two friends, visiting from the north of Germany, donned their kits and boarded the train early, eager to support the team in person in Stuttgart that evening.
For Dennis especially, such trips are routine; He has been following the national team since 2015, and the 40-year-old has hardly missed a game. Kai is a regular from Euro 2024 on home soil.
“Wearing the eagle on the chest and singing the national anthem is something special,” Dennis told DW. “You always get to meet other fans, travel to tournaments – it always gives you goosebumps.”
Both of them are known to be regular fans, who accompany the team to every match – no matter the venue.
discussion before the tournament
It’s no surprise that the upcoming FIFA World Cup is firmly marked on their calendar.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Kai said, his eyes sparkling as he spoke. “I want to understand everything that’s going on in cities. Dennis has always talked a lot about that.”
His teammate Dennis added, “The anticipation starts long before the tournament: “The excitement starts two years in advance; You start saving and thinking about what the trip will be like.”
Both have already bought tickets for the group games in Germany and their itineraries are fully planned. They are really looking forward to it, and the current political situation in the United States is not dampening their enthusiasm.
Dennis said, “Politics should really stay out of sports. Sports are meant to build bridges and bring people together, but politics often likes to take advantage of tournaments like this.”
Lowe warns against travel
However, not everyone is as sure. Recently, former Germany head coach Joachim Löw warned against traveling to North America.
“We also had debates before the 2018 World Cup in Russia and calls for a boycott before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But playing in a country that is currently active in war is even more dangerous,” Löw warned at an event in Cologne.
Loew, who led Germany to victory at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, was referring to the policies of US President Donald Trump, who started a war with Iran in late February. On top of this, the operations of the immigration agency ICE and other geopolitical conflicts are causing instability and uncertainty. “The political situation is completely dominating the tournament,” Lowe said.
Green Party politicians are concerned about personal freedom
There has been and will continue to be strong criticism from the political field as well.
“What FIFA is organizing there in collaboration with Donald Trump is not something that makes my heart skip a beat,” Green Party politician and human rights activist Boris Mijatovic told DW.
“The disclosure of personal data such as email addresses, mobile phones, computers or social media accounts should not be ignored. These are all violations of personal freedom that I will not tolerate,” Mijatovic said. “A state that pries into your privacy like this should not be rewarded with travel.”
Mijatovic fears further “bizarre moments of awkward embarrassment”, such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino presenting the newly created FIFA Peace Prize to Trump during the World Cup draw.
“I find it completely strange that one has to pay homage to this president in order to favor him. This applies as much to Gianni Infantino as it does to [German] Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined politicians including Bernd Neuendorf, president of the DFB and German FA, in his criticism.
Mijatovic feels that FIFA lacks the courage to criticize.
“I miss that stance,” he said. “What we once built with respect and fairness has been ruined.”
Recently, a report by human rights organization Amnesty International also highlighted abuses in World Cup host countries, particularly the United States.
German fans are skeptical about the tournament
For Germany fan Bengt Kunkel, this year’s World Cup will be one he will watch at home on television rather than in person. Kunkel, who has worked hard to create a great atmosphere at the German Games for many years, will not travel to the United States.
“I take a very critical view of the World Cup,” he said. Trump is a big problem, he said, because he is trying to make the World Cup his own and exploit it for his political agenda.
“In addition, there is a restriction on freedom of the press and freedom of expression, as well as FIFA’s political promotion in awarding the Peace Prize to Donald Trump,” Kunkel said.
“We decided that for the group stage alone, we would probably have to spend between €5,000 and €8,000 ($5,800-$9,280),” the Germany fan explained. “This is not a fan-friendly tournament. There was nothing I liked about this World Cup, so it was obvious I wouldn’t go.”
The strict entry requirements for fans are also a cause for concern for the 27-year-old.
“When it comes to saying, ‘We’re going to check all the social media activities of people wanting to enter the United States and see if anyone has liked or posted anything against Donald Trump,’ that has nothing to do with wanting to invite the world into your home and have a soccer festival.”
Can the team together win the World Cup?
Kunkel knows the 2026 World Cup is currently dividing fans.
“But I think whoever goes there, a boycott is the solution,” Kunkel said.
“Despite everything, it’s okay to support the national team. So let’s make the best of it and have a great World Cup summer.”
Even Dennis and Kai admit that this is “not a fan-friendly World Cup.” Still, he is confident that the US will ensure everyone’s safety and it will be a great football extravaganza.
“We want to be world champions,” Dennis said. “We have to be a team and work as a team, and if we fans stand behind the team, we can go far.”
This article was originally published in German.