Blatter attacks the 2026 World Cup and criticizes FIFA

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter launched a scathing attack on the recently concluded 2026 World Cup, claiming the tournament had lost some of its credibility. He also criticized the current FIFA administration. Blatter, writing on his X platform, stated that while the last World Cup was the longest in the tournament's history and ended with a well-deserved champion, the events leading up to the final match, in his view, tarnished the image of the competition. The former FIFA president wrote: "The longest World Cup ended with a well-deserved champion, but on the way to the final whistle, the tournament lost its credibility." He added, "Politics should not be allowed to overshadow the game." Blatter's remarks came after the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, which led to an increase in the number of matches to 104 – the largest expansion in the tournament's history since its inception in 1930. The former Swiss official called for a return to football's roots, emphasizing that the responsibility for preserving the game's identity lies with the fans, players, and national associations under new leadership at FIFA. Blatter, who served as FIFA president from June 1998 to December 2015, said: "It is now up to the fans, the players, and the national associations to return football to its roots under new leadership." Blatter's comments come as the FIFA elections approach. The 77th FIFA Congress is scheduled to take place on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco, to elect the organization's leadership for the next term. Current FIFA president Gianni Infantino has officially announced his intention to run for another term at the 2026 FIFA Congress, a move that could give him the opportunity to continue leading the organization for another term.