German FA Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke Demands Immediate Exit of FIFA President Gianni Infantino

German football vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke has launched a scathing attack on FIFA's Gianni Infantino, stating that the president "must go, no ifs or buts." Speaking at an artificial intelligence festival in Berlin, the German Football Association (DFB) official criticized the leadership of the Swiss administrator.

The DFB previously withheld its signature from a letter of support endorsing Infantino’s upcoming re-election bid. According to Hans-Joachim Watzke, three major grievances drive his opposition. The first involves the creation of the FIFA Peace Prize, which was awarded in December 2025 to US President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw. Hans-Joachim Watzke denounced the self-invented accolade as "madness."

The second issue concerns the handling of a red card issued to Folarin Balogun during the tournament co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The American forward's suspension was rescinded following a direct phone call between Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, an intervention Hans-Joachim Watzke labeled completely unacceptable.

Finally, Hans-Joachim Watzke pointed to a short-lived proposal to establish a commercial entity open to private investors, which was unveiled on July 28 and scrapped four days later. He noted that neither FIFA vice presidents nor the Council were informed of the plan.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf echoed these sentiments in a recent interview with RTL/ntv television, declaring that trust has been entirely broken and the current leadership system must conclude. Gianni Infantino currently stands as the sole candidate for the presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027.