Blatter criticizes Infantino’s plans for World Cup codecs

In an interview with German weekly Die Zeit launched on Wednesday, Blatter stated that “what is happening at the moment is an extreme commercialization of sport.” “There are attempts to squeeze as much out of lemons as possible – for example with 48 teams in a World Cup final or now with the Club World Cup which should be seen as direct competition to the Champions League,” he added. Was quoted. “FIFA is encroaching here on something that is really none of its business, club soccer.”

The 2026 World Cup within the United States, Mexico and Canada would be the first 48-nation event, transferring past European and South American groups, fulfilling the election pledge of an even bigger and extra inclusive World Cup. 32 groups participated on this 12 months’s event in Qatar.

Earlier this month, Infantino known as for a 32-team males’s Club World Cup in 2025.

Blatter introduced in June 2015 that he would resign early as FIFA president within the fallout of a wide-ranging corruption investigation. He has lengthy denied wrongdoing, saying in a Wednesday interview that “I by no means took cash I did not earn – so nothing might be confirmed on me in all of the proceedings towards me. And This would be the scenario.

Infantino, a fellow Swiss, succeeded Blatter in 2016. Blatter advised Die Zeit that he had “no relationship with Infantino” and that the present president “behaved disrespectfully because he has refused any contact with me since his election.”

Blatter stated that “he only contacts me through lawyers.” Blatter claimed that he repeatedly “tried to control business”, for instance by trying to restrict the switch of proficient South American or African gamers to Europe. An try and introduce a pay cap for gamers additionally failed. Blatter stated “we haven’t been able to protect football from economic and political influence”. “I really always tried to serve the football,” he stated. “If in doing so I have harmed it, I am sorry.”