German Football Federation Withdraws Support for Infantino, IOC Complaint Worsens His Position

The German Football Federation (DFB) has officially refused to support Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, with the Congress set for March 18, 2027 in Rabat. Its president, Bernd Neuendorf, confirmed the decision to newspaper Bild: “The DFB did not sign a letter of support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election.”

This withdrawal comes amid growing mistrust of the Italian-Swiss leader. The episode that has most damaged his image remains the controversial cancellation of the red card given to American striker Folarin Balogun during the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, a decision made at Donald Trump’s request. The affair has crystallized criticism over his governance failings, already fueled by the awarding, last December, of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to the President of the United States.

Judicial pressure compounds his political isolation. On July 14, human rights organization FairSquare filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ethics commission targeting Infantino. According to the NGO, the FIFA president “repeatedly breached IOC rules on political neutrality by offering political support to Donald Trump.” The complaint also targets the handling of the Balogun affair, presented as a possible capitulation to external political pressure that circumvented the organization’s disciplinary rules.

Infantino nonetheless retains significant reservoirs of support, particularly on the African continent and in South America, which together represent a substantial share of votes at the FIFA Congress. The question of whether this accumulation of challenges will be enough to weaken his re-election candidacy remains open.