Zwanziger, who also serves as a FIFA Executive Committee member, has been a vocal critic of the bidding process for the 2022 World Cup. Zwanziger has previously stated some of his colleagues had been pressurised by their governments to vote for the bid. In October he was appointed as chairman of the new task force dedicated to revising FIFA’s statutes and as such his opinions will carry considerable weight within the governing body’s halls of power. FIFA president Sepp Blatter this week maintained that the 2022 World Cup will definitely take place in Qatar despite ongoing calls for last year’s vote to be investigated.

“The basic requirements for a host country have been perverted,” said Zwanziger, according to AFP. “I have never understood how such a small country can be awarded one of the most important sports events in the world, especially as Qatar was in last place on the grid before the decision was made. I am allowed to say, a World Cup needs to have other basic conditions and I have my doubts whether sporting factors were taken into consideration enough.”

In other news, general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach has confirmed his intention to stand as Zwanziger’s successor as the next president of the DFB. Zwanziger last week announced that he plans to step down as DFB president no later than October 2012, a year earlier than his current term, having led the organisation since 2006. “There have been many positive signals sent out, which persuaded me to stand,” said Niersbach. “It's certainly not been my aim or part of my life plan, just as it wasn't my goal to be general secretary before I joined the DFB when I was a journalist. This is a huge step for me, but is one I am looking forward to with enormous respect.”