Nationwide stadium ban for FIFA chief Gianni Infantino | Goal.com

Veröffentlicht am 30 Jul 2026 | Lesezeit: 2 Minuten

German politician Sascha Binder has urged the German Football Association (DFB) to impose a nationwide stadium ban on FIFA president Gianni Infantino. With that extraordinary step, the Social Democrat wants to send a strong message against the controversial plans of the FIFA chief.

At the heart of it is FIFA's plan to place the commercial rights to, among other tournaments, the World Cup and the Club World Cup into a new company. Private investors would also be able to buy shares in that company, a proposal that surfaced this week and quickly drew heavy criticism.

UEFA did not hold back in its response, and several national football associations have also voiced their opposition. Now the debate has spilled into politics too.

Binder, an SPD member of parliament, has sent a letter to the DFB calling for firm action against Infantino. German newspaper BILD has seen the letter.

"The latest low point in a series of mistakes and fatal decisions is Infantino's proposal to sell the commercial rights of the World Cup to investors. To send a symbolic message, I ask you to impose a nationwide stadium ban on Gianni Infantino for all German football clubs. This would make it clear that clubs and the DFB will no longer allow football to be ruined by people with no interest whatsoever in the sport, but who are driven solely by other interests," Binder writes.

Through his call, the German politician wants to underline his belief that football must be protected from further commercialisation. He feels the DFB and German clubs must send a strong message to FIFA together.

So far, it is unclear whether the German Football Association are willing to act on the request. The DFB have yet to comment publicly on Binder's letter.

On Wednesday, Infantino responded publicly for the first time to the backlash over his plan. In a video he recorded himself, the FIFA president insisted that, in his view, there is no question of a compulsory change of course. "FIFA Forward Enterprise is actually a proposal, an offer," said Infantino.

Then the FIFA president added: "It is part of a democratic process. Above all, it is an opportunity, not an obligation. We see it as our responsibility to make this proposal and are happy to discuss it with everyone."

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