Power struggle in world football: “I’m not a parrot”: Watzke explains course against Infantino

DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke made clear Germany's confrontational course against the controversial FIFA President Gianni Infantino shortly before the start of an important meeting of European football. «I'm not a parrot, I've said it often enough in the last few weeks. “So many mistakes happened in the summer, from the Peace Prize, the Balogun issue to the summit of investor history,” said the multi-official in Berlin.

There is a clear opinion in the German Football Association, emphasized UEFA Vice President Watzke and also referred to association boss Bernd Neuendorf. “We have to send him off,” he recently told the “Tagesspiegel”. «Gianni Infantino is no longer sustainable as FIFA boss. He did a lot of damage to football.”

European football meets in Berlin

The leaders of the European Football Union UEFA and the heads of the 55 UEFA member associations are meeting in Berlin today. What will be on the agenda this morning is how to proceed in the power struggle with Infantino.

The FIFA boss came under massive pressure in the summer after an ultimately failed attempt to market the World Cup rights by external investors. Watzke also alluded to the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump and the suspension of the ban for US striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.

Infantino's leadership style is also sharply criticized by parts of the football world. He recently reacted to this and offered his opponents talks about possible reforms in FIFA for the first time.

Next FIFA election in March 2027

The 56-year-old has led the world association since 2016 and is seeking re-election for a fourth term at the next FIFA Congress in March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. For this reason, the associations from Europe as well as North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) in particular withdrew their trust in him. Parts of Asia have also publicly opposed Infantino.

However, there is currently no opponent to the incumbent. It is unlikely that UEFA will officially announce a candidate today. The opposition has until the end of November 18th to nominate a candidate.

Concacaf President Victor Montagliani from Canada is considered a possible candidate. Aleksander Ceferin, President of the European Football Union UEFA, and Nasser al-Khelaifi, Qatari boss of Paris Saint-Germain, were also publicly traded - but both have repeatedly rejected any ambitions.