European football leaders are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump’s wish to annex Greenland, and they have held initial discussions about how the sport could respond. The Guardian understands the implications for the World Cup this summer were among the topics raised among about 20 football association heads in Budapest on Monday.
Talks about the Greenland crisis were held informally on the sidelines of an event organised to celebrate the Hungarian football federation’s 125th anniversary, in the knowledge that a unified European response may be required should Trump seek to escalate the situation. Football’s authorities have been reluctant to offer public responses to a fast-moving situation that threatens the territory of Denmark, a Uefa member.
Some senior figures believe military aggression to take Greenland, which Trump has refused to rule out, would be the tipping point for a Uefa-led boycott or other major steps in protest at the US administration. Calls for a boycott have emerged in recent days, with German politician Jürgen Hardt suggesting it would be a last-resort option and a petition in the Netherlands nearing 90,000 signatories by Tuesday evening.
Those present in Budapest are understood to have been united by deep concern about Trump’s actions, to an extent not previously seen during his presidency. There is a recognition that this is a critical moment for Europe’s security and broader future. The majority of football federations are likely to be guided by their governments’ responses, although some sources have pondered how a more proactive approach would work.
Discussions are likely to continue, although no definitive steps emerged from the talks. Uefa’s executive committee will next meet formally in Brussels on 11 February, the day before the governing body’s annual congress. One item unlikely to be on the agenda is a dramatic acceptance to Uefa of Greenland, which is not a member of any confederation.
