Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of the vice presidents of the German Football Association, explicitly stated at a festival in Berlin that Gianni Infantino, the 56-year-old president of FIFA, should resign from his position without any justification or excuse. These remarks come as the German Football Association is one of the few organizations that has refrained from supporting Infantino in the upcoming elections.
Reasons for Infantino's Resignation
Watzke outlined three main reasons for the necessity of the FIFA president's resignation. The first reason pertains to the holding of the FIFA Peace Prize ceremony in December 2025, which Infantino established and was awarded to former U.S. President Donald Trump. Watzke emphasized, "You cannot place yourself in the position of designing an idea and then share it; this is dangerous."
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Controversial Management and Unacceptable Plans
The second reason for criticism of Infantino is the controversial management of the red card issued to Folarin Balogun during the World Cup matches. This American player faced expulsion in the round of 32, but his suspension was lifted following a phone call from Trump to Infantino. Watzke described this situation as unacceptable and pointed to a lack of transparency in decision-making processes.
The third reason is the controversial plan to launch a commercial company, which was unveiled on July 28 and discarded just four days later. Watzke stated, "This is completely insane; no one was aware of it, and even FIFA's vice presidents and council members had no knowledge of it." This issue has raised further concerns about transparency and financial management within FIFA.
Previously, Bernd Neuendorf, the president of the German Football Association, also emphasized that trust in FIFA's current management has completely eroded, and it is time to end the Infantino era. Currently, Infantino is the only candidate for the FIFA presidency election scheduled for March 18, 2027. This could impact the future of football and its management on a global scale.
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