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England and Scotland have been urged to 'seriously consider' a World Cup boycott due to the ongoing actions of US president Donald Trump. The USA, Canada and Mexico will jointly host this summer's tournament.

Trump has caused outrage across Europe with his takeover attempt of Greenland, currently a territory of Denmark. He has further threatened to impose tariffs on eight European nations who opposed the takeover.

Now, a top German football official has spoken out and says a boycott of the sport's flagship tournament should be discussed by participating nations.

Oke Gottlich, president of Bundesliga club St Pauli and one of the German federation's 10 vice presidents, says 'the time has come'.

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"What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?" Göttlich said. "By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion."

The German federation previously spoke out against the Qatari tournament in 2022, where they were knocked out in the group stage.

" Qatar was too political for everyone and now we're completely apolitical? That's something that really, really, really bothers me," Gottlich added.

"As organisations and society, we're forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries, and how to defend values. Taboos are an essential part of our stance. Is a taboo crossed when someone threatens? Is a taboo crossed when someone attacks? When people die?

"I would like to know from Donald Trump when he has reached his taboo, and I would like to know from Bernd Neuendorf and Gianni Infantino."

As well as the Greenland situation, fans have been put off the tournament by sky-high ticket prices and a travel ban imposed by Trump preventing supporters of some nations making the trip.

Gottlich's comments come after France's sports minister Marina Ferrari refused to rule out considering a boycott down the line if tensions continue.

"At the moment we are speaking, there is no desire from the ministry to boycott this major, much-anticipated competition," she told reporters. "That said, I am not prejudging what might happen."

Gottlich's club St Pauli have a historically left-wing fanbase and are known for mixing sport with politics. Australia's Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe as well as Japan star Joel Chima Fujita currently play for the club.

"The life of a professional player is not worth more than the lives of countless people in various regions who are being directly or indirectly attacked or threatened by the World Cup host," Gottlich added.

England and Scotland are guaranteed of their place at the tournament and could yet be joined by the Republic of Ireland and either Wales or Northern Ireland.

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