The German Football Association has refused to sign a letter backing Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA President — a direct rebuke from one of European football's most powerful governing bodies, and a signal that patience with the 56-year-old is running out.
According to BILD, the DFB under President Bernd Neuendorf declined to endorse Infantino after receiving a letter from FIFA's European director Elkhan Mammadov during the World Cup. The DFB aren't just staying quiet — they're actively distancing themselves from him. That's a different thing entirely.
A World Cup That's Done Infantino No Favours
The 2026 World Cup in North America has handed Infantino controversy after controversy. The most explosive: FIFA's suspension of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun's red card ban ahead of the round of 16 against Belgium was reversed following conversations between Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump. No precedent. No transparent explanation. Just a player who should have been suspended suddenly back on the pitch.
Human rights organisation FairSquare has already filed a complaint against Infantino with the International Olympic Committee — of which he is also a member — citing a breach of political neutrality rules. That's not a procedural headache. That's reputational damage that trails him into every future negotiation.
The Balogun affair isn't even the full picture. Dynamic ticket pricing made the tournament financially out of reach for tens of thousands of fans. A ban on reusable water bottles inside stadiums was reversed only after a public outcry. Iran's treatment amid their ongoing conflict with the United States raised serious questions. Somali referee Omar Artan was refused entry into the country. The list is long, and it keeps growing.
Does the DFB Snub Actually Change Anything?
Realistically? Not the outcome. Continental federations across Africa, Asia and South America have already pledged support for Infantino ahead of the March 18, 2027 FIFA Congress vote, and he is widely expected to secure another four-year term. He announced his candidacy at the 76th FIFA Congress in April, telling the 211 member associations: "I will be candidate for the election of FIFA President next year."
But the DFB's refusal matters beyond the vote count. Germany carries weight in European football politics, and their withdrawal of support — even symbolically — makes it harder for Infantino to claim a unified mandate. Any governing body that wins re-election over the objections of one of the game's founding nations has a legitimacy problem, even if the math still adds up in their favour.
- DFB declined to sign FIFA's letter of support for Infantino's re-election
- Folaron Balogun's red card ban was lifted after Trump-Infantino discussions
- FairSquare filed an IOC complaint against Infantino over political neutrality
- Dynamic pricing, water bottle bans, and referee visa refusals added further controversy
- Infantino is still expected to win re-election at the March 2027 FIFA Congress
Infantino will almost certainly still be FIFA President this time next year. But he'll be one with fewer friends in Europe — and a World Cup on his record that gave critics more ammunition than they could have hoped for.
