In an interview with German weekly Die Zeit launched Wednesday, Blatter stated that “what is happening at the moment is an overcommercialization of the game.” “There are attempts to squeeze more and more out of the lemon — for example with the World Cup finals with 48 teams or now with a Club World Cup that must be viewed as direct competition to the Champions League,” he was quoted as saying. “FIFA is encroaching here on something that is actually none of its business, club soccer.”

The 2026 World Cup within the United States, Mexico and Canada would be the first 48-nation event, assembly Infantino’s election pledge of an even bigger and extra inclusive World Cup going past European and South American groups. This yr’s event in Qatar featured 32 groups.

Earlier this month, Infantino referred to 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 from a sprawling corruption investigation. He has lengthy denied wrongdoing, saying in Wednesday’s interview that “I have never taken money that I didn’t earn — that’s why nothing on me could ever be proven in all the proceedings against me. And that will remain the case.”

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

Blatter added that “he only communicates with me via lawyers.” Blatter claimed that he had repeatedly “tried to control the business,” for instance in trying to restrict transfers of proficient South American or African gamers to Europe. An try to introduce a pay cap for gamers additionally failed. Blatter stated “we didn’t manage to protect soccer from economic and political influence.” “I really tried always to serve soccer,” he stated. “If in doing so I damaged it, then I am sorry.”