German Football Association officials: Infantino only realized he had lost when other continents publicly opposed him.

In an interview with Stern magazine, German Football Association General Manager Reittig once again criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Reitig stated, "This is extremely inappropriate. What they're trying to sell here is a priceless, intangible asset." Furthermore, Reitig criticized Infantino's current advisors, saying they come from the finance and economics world and don't understand football.

Reitig, however, praised UEFA President Ceferin, saying the Slovenian "stood tall" in resisting Infantino's plans, thus preventing long-term damage to football. Reitig also believes that it wasn't just UEFA's criticism that prompted Infantino to back down.

Reitig said, "I don't think he would compromise if UEFA were the only one to voice its opinion." It wasn't until other continental football federations also publicly opposed the plan that it became clear "he had already lost the battle."

Reittig calls for a Challenger launch in 2027.

For Rettig, the loss of trust was so profound that he explicitly hoped for a candidate to challenge Infantino in the 2027 FIFA elections.

Reitig believes: "The reset button has to be pressed. A different culture is needed. Because trust is the hardest currency."