Germany’s football federation president Bernd Neuendorf has called for an end to what he described as the “Infantino system”, signalling a significant hardening of the country’s position towards FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Neuendorf made the comments after attending UEFA’s Executive Committee and FIFA Council meetings in Thessaloniki, Greece, where FIFA’s leadership and the future direction of world football governance were among the issues discussed.
Speaking to German broadcaster RTL/ntv, the German FA chief said changes to FIFA’s current leadership structure were necessary and admitted that relations between the DFB and Infantino had deteriorated badly.
“It is important that this Infantino system is also brought to an end,” Neuendorf said, describing such a change as “absolutely necessary.”
He added that the relationship between the German federation and the FIFA president had suffered a serious breakdown.
“The relationship of trust with Gianni Infantino, with this FIFA leadership, is of course shattered.”
Infantino is seeking another term as FIFA president, but his re-election campaign is facing growing resistance, particularly from European football authorities.
UEFA, under president Aleksander Čeferin, has emerged as the main centre of opposition and is seeking broader changes to the way FIFA is governed.
The European governing body has called for Infantino to step down and, according to reports, is preparing a criminal complaint against him in Switzerland. UEFA is also engaging its member associations as it seeks support for an alternative candidate ahead of the FIFA presidential election.
At least 10 European football associations have withdrawn their backing for Infantino, with France and Austria among those to have most recently changed their position.
Germany has not formally withdrawn its support, but Neuendorf’s latest comments represent a notable change in rhetoric. The DFB confirmed in July that it would not sign a letter circulated by FIFA seeking support for Infantino’s re-election.
Greece withdraws support
Opposition to Infantino has also spread to Greece, with Hellenic Football Federation president Makis Gagatsis confirming that his association no longer supports the FIFA chief.
Gagatsis pointed to events surrounding the World Cup and a subsequent proposal involving the sale of World Cup rights as reasons for the decision.
“We saw things happen at the World Cup that are not acceptable to football public opinion. Then… came a programme to sell World Cup rights and we are clearly against it, so we withdrew our support of the FIFA president.”
UEFA is continuing discussions with other associations as it attempts to build sufficient backing for a rival candidate.
The organisation’s plans reportedly extend beyond the presidential election, with UEFA seeking to examine broader changes to FIFA’s existing structure.
A rival candidate is expected to be nominated before the November 18 deadline, potentially turning the election into a wider contest over the future direction of global football governance.
With Germany now publicly questioning the current FIFA leadership system and more European associations withdrawing their support, Infantino is facing a more coordinated challenge ahead of the March election.
