RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Leading figures in German football have lined up to criticize Gianni Infantino’s plans to sell a stake in the World Cup. Germany is showing signs that they may ready to oppose Infantino's re-election.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I09L Advertisement "We must not let it become a pawn in the hands of investors. We must not lose the fans' support, but we are well on our way to squandering that support. I consider this extremely problematic and unacceptable."
Those were the words of the head of Germany's football association, the DFB, in response to FIFA's plan to form a commercial subsidiary to sell to private investors. Bernd Neuendorf, the DFB president, is on the FIFA Council, which FIFA describes as its "main decision making body" but was blindsided by Tuesday's proposal.
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Neuendorf said he "had to learn the news from the newspaper. That's no way to treat people." He said Infantino's method was "extremely troubling. When you sit on the committee, you want to be able to actively participate in decisions and express your opinion. That has to be a process, but none of that is happening at FIFA — not on important issues, and especially not now with the investor issue."
As well as widespread fan discontent, expressed via social media, leading German clubs have voiced their dissatisfaction with the plans.
"I am ashamed that we even discuss such ideas in football. Football does not belong to us," Bayern Munich's board member for sport Max Eberl told Sky.
"I have the feeling that FIFA exists solely to make a profit. It disgusts me," he added.
"Why does FIFA feel it needs to reinvent the wheel? In my view, this initiative is not a good idea at all," said Borussia Dortmund's CEO Carsten Cramer, while his equivalent at Stuttgart, Alexander Wehrle, lent his support to the DFB and European football governor UEFA's stance against the proposal.
"Driving the commercialization of football in this direction without even a semblance of a common, sensible goal would send a disastrous message," he said.
Earlier this year, Germany declined to sign a document recommending Infantino's re-election and Neuendorf was also critical of FIFA's suspension of a World Cup red-card ban for US striker Folarin Balogun following an intervention from US President Donald Trump.
New Germany manager Jürgen Klopp , working as a TV pundit during the tournament, criticized that decision too.
"Let's just say: this is our game, not theirs. These two people (Infantino and Trump), who both have no idea about football, should have nothing to do with that," he said.
Despite falling behind on the pitch in recent times, Germany still holds plenty of sway in European football's governing body and will likely be a key voice when that organization meets, reportedly on Thursday. Neundorf added that: "If UEFA rejects this request (for approval of the plan), then it is dead, because I believe that you won't be able to find any investor who would be willing to go ahead with this project if UEFA is out."
This is not the first time that Germany has protested against a FIFA decision. At the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the men's team covered their mouths before a game against Japan in protest at not being allowed to wear the rainbow armband to support LGBT+ rights. The lack of support from other federations for that action made Germany hesitant to repeat it in World Cup 2026 despite widespread concerns about ticket prices, the failure to issue visas to fans and officials from certain countries and Infantino's relationship with Trump.
But the Balogun case, and the new sell off proposal may have been beyond the pale. The DFB know that they must toe a particularly careful line on these issues due to the country's football culture.
In 2024, the DFL, the organization that operate the Bundesliga, was forced to climb down from plans to sell a share of its TV rights to foreign investors due to fan protests that included tennis balls and remote control cars with smoke bombs being thrown on the pitch during matches.
However, the DFL confirmed on Sunday that it had received an "unsolicited proposal for a debt financing model at the league association level" and have "begun a general, preliminary review of the proposal and its legal feasibility." German newspaper Bild reported that finance firm Apollo is looking to loan the Bundesliga at least €1 billion ($1.14 billion), with the domestic media rights serving as collateral in the deal. Any notion the DFL will accept this would likely be strenuously opposed by fan groups.
In May, fans of Bayern and Stuttgart unfurled a huge banner featuring a crossed out DFB logo at this year's German Cup final in protest at high ticket prices.
Such actions are commonplace in German football, with the 50+1 ownership model, that bars single investors owning a majority stake in a club, ensuring fans retain more power than in most other European nations.
Even if Germany and UEFA continue to protest Infantino's decisions and presidency, the Swiss executive will likely retain control unless other confederations, particularly Africa and Asia, follow suit. Although UEFA only has 55 of 211 votes, it remains the most powerful confederation within FIFA and with leadership from a powerful nation like Germany, Infantino may start to feel the heat.
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