Klopp Says FIFA Has Got Worse Than Blatter Era, Wants Change
Germany coach Jürgen Klopp has called for a new FIFA president in 2027, saying the mood in football has swung towards change under Gianni Infantino. Infantino, 56, faces two challengers at next March's election in Rabat, while Germany prepare to face the Netherlands.
Jürgen Klopp, the Germany national team coach, said he wants a new FIFA president in 2027 and thought things couldn't get worse after Sepp Blatter. He directed sharp criticism at the leadership of Gianni Infantino.
"The opinion now is unanimous that change would be logical," Klopp said. "I thought things would not get any worse after Sepp Blatter, but we have reached this point."
Election in Rabat
Infantino, 56, is chasing a new term at next March's FIFA elections in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. He faces two challengers: Kozo Tashima, 68, and Ramon Vega, 55.
Klopp made no secret of his unease. He insisted the mood has firmly swung towards change.
Football needs leadership that puts the game ahead of money, the German coach added. He pointed to people who can shoulder the responsibility without chasing personal gain.
"There are certainly people who genuinely care about football and have no financial interests whatsoever," he said. "If one of them took on this position, it would be extremely positive."
A year of controversy
The remarks follow a year of criticism of Infantino's presidency. It began with the FIFA Peace Prize he handed to American president Donald Trump. The award was not renewed this year.
The Folarin Balogun incident at the 2026 World Cup added to the pressure. The United States striker had a red card cancelled after an intervention by the American president. Critics said it sharpened questions about the relationship between FIFA's leadership and certain political figures.
Plans to sell shares of the World Cup rights to private sector investors stirred further unease. They raised fresh questions about how the tournament is run and what its commercial future looks like.
Germany face the Netherlands
Klopp also looked ahead to Germany's final UEFA Nations League match. A 3-1 win over Serbia leaves them poised to reach the quarter-finals if they get past the Netherlands.
The Dutch beat Greece 7-0 last Friday. Klopp praised their strength and warned that the game will be tough.
"They played very lively football," he said. "It is a strong generation with huge footballing abilities. It will be a very exciting match, and we hope we can limit their threat from time to time."
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