German players urged not to repeat protests in 2026 following mouth covering in pre-match photos at Qatar World Cup.Published On 28 May 202628 May 2026Germany sporting director Rudi Voeller has urged members of the World Cup 2026 squad to avoid making political statements during this summer’s tournament.Speaking from Germany’s pre-World Cup camp in northern Bavaria, Voeller said players were not under a gag order but encouraged them to keep sport and politics “somewhat separate” while at the finals.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listVoeller said there would be no specialist media training ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, unlike in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.“If someone wishes to do so, they are welcome to do it in the run-up to the tournament,” Voeller said on Wednesday about players making political statements.“However, if it hasn’t happened until this point, it generally shouldn’t start happening now.”The 66-year-old hoped Germany learned from their experience four years ago in Qatar, where the team’s build-up to the tournament was dominated by discussion about a ban on political symbols.In Qatar, the German players covered their mouths in their pre-match photo before their tournament opener against Japan, protesting against FIFA’s threat to sanction players for wearing “OneLove” armbands. Some commentators suggested it contributed to their poor showing at the tournament.“Every player is fully aware of the situation; after all, a significant number of the current squad members were also part of the team that went to Qatar,” said Voeller.“Naturally, we wo …
