DFB urges Infantino to quit FIFA over Trump prize, Balogun incident

German football officials have declared that FIFA president Gianni Infantino must step down, citing three controversies. DFB vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke spoke at an AI festival in Berlin on Thursday, saying Infantino has to go, no ifs or buts. He criticised the FIFA Peace Prize that Infantino created himself and awarded to US President Donald Trump in December 2025, calling it madness to invent a prize unilaterally. Watzke also condemned the handling of American forward Folarin Balogun's red card during the 2026 World Cup, noting that a phone call from Trump to Infantino overturned the automatic suspension. The third issue was a short-lived plan to launch a commercial FIFA company open to private investors, unveiled on July 28 and dropped four days later, which DFB says was kept secret from FIFA's vice-presidents and council. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf echoed the call, saying trust in Infantino's leadership is shattered and the Infantino system must end. Infantino remains the sole declared candidate for the FIFA presidency election set for March 18, 2027, with nominations open until November 18. For Nigerian football fans, the leadership dispute could affect future World Cup hosting bids, development funding and the governance of the sport they follow.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/09/18/infantino-must-go-says-german-fa-vice-president/