In a rare interview with Swiss broadcaster SRF ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Blatter continued to express his opposition to Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016.

"In my opinion, he is not good for football", Blatter said on 8/6, when asked about his successor. "Infantino has politicized FIFA, to the point that the organization now even awards a peace prize to the US President. That is not FIFA's mission".

The 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico will be the first edition to feature 48 teams, an increase from 32 teams in previous tournaments. This is a significant change under Infantino's tenure. However, Blatter disagrees with this decision.

"48 teams is too many", the former FIFA president said. "If that's the case, we could also organize the tournament like a Grand Slam in tennis with 128 teams. But let them play, and we'll see the outcome".

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter (right) speaks to the media as he leaves court in Muttenz, near Basel, Switzerland on 25/3/2025. On the same day, Blatter and former UEFA president Michel Platini were again acquitted in an appeal hearing related to a long-running corruption case. *Photo: AFP*

Blatter himself once championed FIFA's expanding influence during his leadership from 1998 to 2015. The Swiss administrator built power by increasing the voice of African and Asian federations and expanding the number of teams participating in various FIFA tournaments. However, at the age of 90, he believes football is going too far in inflating the scale of tournaments.

Born in 1936 in Valais canton, Switzerland, Blatter joined FIFA in 1975, serving as general secretary from 1981 before becoming president in 1998. During his nearly two-decade tenure, FIFA saw strong growth in revenue and global influence thanks to the commercial success of the World Cup.

His reign was also marked by numerous controversies. In 2015, amid the biggest corruption crisis in FIFA's history, Blatter resigned. Subsequently, he was suspended and banned from participating in FIFA football activities.

He was replaced by Infantino, a fellow Swiss born in 1970, also from the Valais region. Before becoming FIFA president, Infantino was known for his role as UEFA general secretary and was seen as a reformist figure following the organization's period of scandal.

US President Donald Trump (left) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House on 6/5/2024. *Photo: AFP*

Since taking office in 2016, Infantino has overseen three consecutive men's World Cups. He successfully organized the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and is preparing for the 2026 World Cup. During his tenure, Infantino also played a significant role in Saudi Arabia becoming the host of the 2034 World Cup.

Despite this, Blatter believes that FIFA under Infantino is increasingly straying from the essence of football. He reacted particularly strongly to US President Donald Trump recently calling Infantino "the King of Football". "That is ridiculous", Blatter said. "Football has only one King, and that is Pele. Only a player can be the king of football, not an administrator".

The relationship between the two has also completely fractured, despite once being quite close. Blatter recounted that after his election in 2016, Infantino frequently visited his apartment in Zurich. The two would share wine and converse like fellow Valais natives.

At that time, Infantino also promised to help Blatter retrieve personal belongings left at FIFA headquarters after his suspension. But things quickly changed. "I called to ask about it. Then I was told that Infantino would only communicate with me through his lawyer", Blatter recalled.

He stated that he had received some of his personal property back, but not all of it.

When asked about his current relationship with his successor, Blatter replied concisely: "Basically, we are divorced".

Nevertheless, the former FIFA president affirmed that he still wishes to meet Infantino. He stated he wants a frank discussion to understand why the man who was once a friend and compatriot cut off communication, before sharing a glass of wine together, as they did in the early years after the power transition at FIFA.

Hoang An (according to SRF)