Germany wants to host the 2038 or 2042 World Cup | OneFootball

Germany is a serious contender to host a future men’s World Cup, according to Eintracht Frankfurt CEO and German Football Association (DFB) management board member Axel Hellmann.

The Bundesliga executive has revealed that Germany is exploring the possibility of staging either the 2038 or 2042 tournament.

He insists the country already possesses the infrastructure required to deliver a successful global showpiece.

Hellmann told The Athletic that Germany has the stadiums, transport networks, hotels and training facilities needed to host another World Cup after successfully staging the competition in 2006.

“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 previously indicated that it would consider a future World Cup bid, although FIFA’s official bidding processes for the 2038 and 2042 tournaments have not yet opened.

A potential German bid for 2038 could face complications due to FIFA’s confederation rotation rules.

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

That effectively handed the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia, representing the Asian Football Confederation, leaving the door open for North America and Oceania in 2038.

The United States is currently viewed as a leading contender after hosting the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.

However, Hellmann believes FIFA could show flexibility given the unique circumstances surrounding the 2030 edition.

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

The Frankfurt chief added that Germany would likely need to modernise some stadiums but believes a World Cup could trigger a major investment programme similar to the one that followed the 2006 tournament.

Hellmann described Germany’s 2006 World Cup as one of the country’s greatest global marketing campaigns, claiming it changed international perceptions of the nation.

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

“It’s important to send a signal to German society,” he added.

Hellmann also raised concerns about FIFA’s ticket pricing strategy for the 2026 World Cup, warning that expensive tickets could damage football’s connection with ordinary supporters.

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

He believes future World Cups should prioritise accessibility, arguing that affordable tickets and safe-standing areas are crucial to ensuring younger generations experience live football.

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