In March, DFB boss Neuendorf will not support Infantino

In Berlin, DFB‑chief Bernd Neuendorf said on Wednesday that he will not vote for Gianni Infantino at the FIFA‑Congress in March 2027. The German president sharply criticised the long‑standing FIFA‑chief and called for his removal from office. He described the leadership as harmful to football and stressed that Germany’s vote should no longer be cast.

"We must remove him from the field," Neuendorf said in an interview with the Tagesspiegel, adding, "Gianni Infantino is no longer tolerable as FIFA‑chief. He has greatly harmed football."

Unity in German football

There is unity within the German Football Association: Infantino has "lost all trust," it was said. The same Wednesday, a meeting of all 55 UEFA member associations will take place in Berlin, where the German voice will be particularly loud.

Infantino, 56, responded to the ongoing criticism by announcing an independent external review of FIFA governance and promising consultations to strengthen decision‑making processes, including the role of the president. He stressed that he intends to continue leading FIFA and has not announced any withdrawal from a candidacy for a fourth term in March 2027.

Pressure from the top leagues

Four influential European leagues, including the Bundesliga, have sharply attacked the FIFA‑chief; the Bundesliga’s managing director, Marc Lenz, joins the criticism.

At the end of August the dispute escalated when a possible criminal complaint against Infantino in Swiss courts, related to the World Cup investor plans, threatened to be filed. Opponents must name a candidate by 18 November in order to contest the election three months later in Morocco.