{
  "id": 8259974,
  "title": "“Infantino must go”, German FA VP declares, gives three reasons",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/infantino-must-go-german-fa-vp-declares-gives-three-reasons",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T14:29:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ripples Nigeria",
    "slug": "ripples-nigeria",
    "url": "https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/infantino-must-go-german-fa-vp-declares-gives-three-reasons/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "German Football Association vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke insists that FIFA president Gianni Infantino must resign \"no ifs or buts\". Speaking at a Berlin artificial intelligence festival, Watzke cited three major issues with Infantino's leadership. The first is the FIFA Peace Prize, which Infantino created and awarded to former US president Donald Trump in December 2025. Watzke argues that no one should independently invent a prize and announce it, calling it \"madness\". The second issue is the handling of American soccer player Folarin Balogun's red card during the 2022 World Cup. Watzke condemns how Infantino overturned Balogun's automatic one-match suspension after Trump called him. Lastly, Watzke criticizes a proposed commercial company that was to be created with private investors, unveiled on July 28 and later dropped. He laments that no one, including FIFA vice-presidents and the Council, were aware of this project. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf echoed Watzke's sentiments, stating that trust in Infantino has been \"shattered\" and it's time for him to leave. Infantino remains the sole candidate for the FIFA presidency in the upcoming March 18, 2027 election.",
  "summary": "Gianni Infantino must leave the FIFA presidency “no ifs or buts”, according to Hans-Joachim Watzke, A vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) Hans-Joachim Watzke, has declared that Gianni Infantino must leave the FIFA presidency, “no ifs or buts”. He spoke on Thursday at a festival dedicated to artificial intelligence in Berlin. The DFB was […] The post “Infantino must go”, German…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}