German clubs urged to ban Infantino over World Cup share plan

German Social Democratic Party politician Sascha Binder called today for a nationwide stadium ban on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, citing the latter’s proposal to sell World Cup shares. The appeal was made public at 18:18 and targets all football clubs across Germany.

Binder, the 43‑year‑old fraction chairman of the SPD in Baden‑Württemberg, argues that Infantino’s plan threatens the sport’s integrity. He frames the ban as a direct response to the commercialisation of the World Cup.

The European football federation, UEFA, has already announced a provisional boycott of the World Cup and all other FIFA tournaments. UEFA’s decision is presented as a far‑reaching measure against the proposed sale.

Binder’s letter is addressed to Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Association (DFB). The German political support underscores the alignment between national politics and the European governing body.

"It is the nth low point in a series of mistakes and fatal decisions that Infantino’s current proposal to sell the commercial rights of the World Cup to investors represents," the SPD politician wrote. "To send a symbolic signal, I ask you, as DFB president, to impose a nationwide stadium ban on Gianni Infantino for all football clubs in Germany."

According to Binder, such a ban would send a powerful message to the FIFA president. He adds, "It would make completely clear that clubs and the DFB no longer want to allow football to be ruined by people who have no interest in the sport, but are driven by totally different interests."

Binder further warned that recent World Cup events have shown football is increasingly threatened by commercialisation. He noted that while millions of Germans play and watch football weekly, professional football is being pushed to the background by profit‑ and marketing‑driven motives.

He concluded, "When advertising breaks and halftime shows become more important than the match itself, football loses its soul. FIFA president Gianni Infantino contributes significantly to this development and also does football a disservice by his collusion with US President Donald Trump."

The letter seeks to persuade DFB president Neuendorf to act on the proposed ban, positioning the measure as a symbolic stand against the commercial direction of FIFA’s flagship tournament.