DFB President Neuendorf calls FIFA’s reform offer “a transparent maneuver”

Bernd Neuendorf described FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's reform offer to the 211 member associations as a "transparent maneuver". Infantino's aim is to secure his re-election next year, the President of the German Football Association (DFB) explained in a statement.

The Swiss head of the world football association had previously responded to the ongoing criticism of his leadership style and offered his opponents talks about possible reforms in FIFA for the first time. “In principle, FIFA now seems to have recognized that changes are essential,” said Neuendorf.

Neuendorf added: "However, Gianni Infantino is definitely not the right person to moderate a reform process. He has lost all credibility."

In the letter, Infantino announced an independent external review of Fifa's governance as well as consultations on strengthening decision-making processes, including the role of the president.

At the same time, the 56-year-old made it clear that he wanted to continue to lead FIFA. There is no talk of foregoing a candidacy for a fourth term in Congress in March 2027. This is what his critics around Aleksander Čeferin, President of the European Football Association Uefa, are demanding.

UEFA and the football associations from North and Central America have been pursuing a tough opposition course against Infantino for several weeks. However, they have not yet been able to name an opposing candidate for the presidential election.

Important dates in the crisis facing football officials are a UEFA meeting of all 55 member associations on October 8th in Berlin and the FIFA Council meeting on October 15th in Zurich, at which Infantino wants to talk about his proposals.

At the end of August, the dispute escalated with the threat of filing a criminal complaint in Swiss courts in connection with the World Cup investor plans against Infantino. For this purpose, information about the planned transactions was requested from US courts.