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A Boycott Mood Stronger Than Russia and Qatar
The survey, conducted by Panel Inzicht, paints a clear picture of a divided fanbase. Research from the EenVandaag Opinion Panel, which gathered responses from over 20,000 participants, found that 10 percent of Dutch national team supporters are planning to skip World Cup broadcasts altogether. Their reasons center on what many describe as the political circus surrounding the event and concerns about FIFA's damaged reputation. Notably, that boycott figure is higher than what was recorded ahead of the World Cups held in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, both of which were deeply controversial in their own right.
Many Dutch respondents draw a direct comparison to Qatar, arguing the sport is once again being hosted in a politically charged environment. A recurring frustration is the fear that the tournament will be used as a stage for self-promotion by Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, rather than serving as a celebration of football. Some feel strongly that controversial nations should not be handed opportunities to clean up their image through major sporting events. Advocacy groups, including DeGoedeZaak, have already pushed hard for a full boycott, and petitions calling on the Netherlands to stay out of the tournament entirely gained notable attention earlier this year. Games are set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Other Side of the Debate
Not everyone agrees that politics should interfere with football. A significant portion of Dutch fans and public voices argue that the two worlds should stay separate. Some have even criticized broadcasters for leaning too heavily into anti-Trump commentary instead of focusing on the sport itself.
Writer and columnist Simon Kuper has been one of the more vocal opponents of the boycott calls, calling the whole idea misguided. He argued that political controversies tend to burn out fast, while the World Cup ultimately belongs to fans, not to politicians or sports administrators. He also suggested that the open atmosphere inside American stadiums could actually create space for meaningful protest. In his view, Trump's political future rests in American hands, and whatever noise surrounds the tournament will be long forgotten once it wraps up. People will have moved on to everyday concerns like fuel prices, inflation, and other global events. The World Cup, he said, should not be surrendered to those in power. It belongs to everyone.
