Germany is set to play its first World Cup match on Sunday against debutant Curacao, pitting a four-time champion against a team making its tournament debut.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall has warned that a joint tank project faces potential headwinds amid French plans to cut funding. CEO Armin Papperger told Welt am Sonntag that France is planning to dramatically reduce funding for the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project.

"If you have less money available, you don't get any faster, and we are already very slow," Papperger was quoted as saying. He expressed doubts about whether the MGCS would ever materialize given the long timeline.

The comments come after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of a joint fighter jet project this week, citing disagreements between Dassault and Airbus.

As Germany prepares for its World Cup opener amid a host of domestic challenges, observers speculate that a strong performance by the national team could boost the popularity of the beleaguered government.

Source: www.dw.com