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Football Today

·28 July 2026

Football Today

·28 July 2026

According to German Football Association (DFB) management board member Axel Hellmann, Germany is a strong candidate to host a future World Cup.

The Bundesliga executive has said that Germany is looking into the possibility of staging either the 2038 or 2042 tournament.

Hellmann told The Athletic that, after successfully hosting the competition in 2006, Germany already has the stadiums, transport networks, hotels and training facilities required to stage another World Cup.

“We would love to, and there is an initiative by (DFB president) Bernd Neuendorf and the DFB to run for 2042, maybe 2038,” Hellmann said. “It depends on FIFA regulations.”

The DFB has earlier made it clear that it would look at a future World Cup bid, even though FIFA’s official bidding process for the 2038 and 2042 tournaments has not opened yet.

A possible German bid for 2038 may run into issues because of FIFA’s confederation rotation rules.

The 2030 World Cup will be played across Africa, Europe and South America, with Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay involved.

That has effectively given the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia, which represents the Asian Football Confederation, and has left the path open for North America and Oceania in 2038.

The United States is currently seen as a front-runner after co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Canada and Mexico.

Still, Hellmann feels FIFA may be willing to show flexibility because of the unusual situation around the 2030 edition.

“Germany has the stadium infrastructure, mobility infrastructure and hotel infrastructure,” he added. “Every single game will be sold out. It will be a success.”

He said Germany would probably have to upgrade some stadiums, but he believes a World Cup could spark a major investment drive similar to the one that followed the 2006 tournament.

Hellmann described Germany’s 2006 World Cup as one of the country’s biggest global marketing campaigns, saying it changed how the world viewed the nation.

Neuendorf would eventually lead a successful bid, but Hellmann believes it is important for Germany to show ambition.

Hellmann also voiced concern over FIFA’s ticket pricing plan for the 2026 World Cup, warning that high ticket costs could weaken football’s bond with ordinary fans.

“Football is the sport of the people, and it belongs to a certain extent to the people,” he said.

He feels future World Cups should focus on accessibility, arguing that affordable tickets and safe-standing sections are essential if younger generations are to experience live football.

“That’s what I fear,” Hellmann said when asked whether FIFA could repeat its 2026 pricing model. “That’s why we should start a discussion about the future price policy.”