Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has publicly called for Gianni Infantino to be removed from his position, alleging that the recent World Cup “lost its credibility” due to his successor’s leadership. Blatter, whose own tenure at Fifa was marked by corruption allegations, emphasised that “politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game,” seemingly referencing Infantino’s close ties with former US President Donald Trump.
This criticism comes in the wake of a contentious incident during the World Cup where US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card ban, received against Bosnia, was unprecedentedly suspended for a year. The suspension followed an alleged intervention by Donald Trump, who reportedly contacted Infantino to review the sending-off. This allowed Balogun to participate in the last-16 match against Belgium, which the US ultimately lost 4-1.
Reflecting on the tournament, which concluded on Sunday with Spain defeating Argentina 1-0 in an extra-time final, Blatter expressed his disapproval on social media. “The longest World Cup has come to an end – with the right champions,” he wrote. “But on the way to the final whistle, the tournament had lost its credibility. Politics must not be allowed to overshadow the game. Now it is up to the fans, players and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new leadership.” He further underscored his points with hashtags including ‘Fifa half-time show’, ‘Donald Trump’, and ‘Gianni Infantino’.
Blatter is not alone in his condemnation, with LaLiga president Javier Tebas also voicing strong criticism and advocating for Infantino’s departure. Tebas specifically highlighted the Balogun incident as “an extremely serious matter,” telling Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that Fifa was fortunate the US was eliminated, as it prevented a larger scandal that could have cost Infantino his role. Tebas also accused Fifa of “destroying the football industry” through the expansion of international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs.
Despite the mounting criticism, Infantino announced in April his intention to seek re-election for a fourth term as Fifa president. The vote for the 2027-2031 cycle is scheduled for 18 March next year in Morocco. Tebas believes that while Infantino should step down, the current system and lack of a viable opposition candidate mean he is likely to run unopposed or face minimal challenge. Furthermore, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin notably did not attend the World Cup final, following ongoing disagreements between Uefa and Fifa regarding disciplinary procedures, refereeing logistics, and match operations.