Sepp Blatter, who served as FIFA chief for 17 years until 2015, slammed new proposals to keep fans away from the “people’s game”.
Published July 29, 2026
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has criticized soccer’s governing body’s plans to create a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup, saying the tournament is not a commercial asset owned by a few executives.
“Football does not belong to individuals or groups. It belongs to the people,” Blatter told Reuters on Wednesday.
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Blatter, who was FIFA president for 17 years until 2015, added: “If FIFA moves into a profit-oriented corporate structure, it will lose its soul.”
FIFA announced on Tuesday that it plans to create a subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events, offering up to 20% of its stake to outside investors.
The move prompted a furious reaction from European football authorities, including UEFA, which said FIFA was putting the match up for sale.
Blatter said the World Cup should not become a private equity investment product where investors seek profits.
“The FIFA World Cup is not a commercial asset owned by a handful of executives,” he said. “This is part of the cultural heritage of world football.”
“FIFA is not the owner of the World Cup, it is its guardian.”
Blatter said he was shocked by the idea, adding that he never thought of it when he was running FIFA.
Investors seeking influence and profit run counter to associations seeking the interests of their members, he said.
“Modern football has survived for more than a century because it belongs to the people,” Blatter said.
“That principle should never change.”
