Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s recent criticism of the governing body’s plans to establish a billion subsidiary to manage the World Cup emphasizes an ongoing tension between commercial interests and the grassroots spirit of football. As discussions surrounding the future of the sport intensify, his remarks serve not only as a reminder of football’s cultural significance but also as a call for preserving the game’s true essence — a game for the people, by the people.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has expressed strong opposition to the football governing body’s recent proposal to establish a billion subsidiary aimed at managing the World Cup and other events. Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years until 2015, has argued that such a move would undermine the very foundation of football by transforming it into a commercial asset owned by a select group of executives. “Football belongs to no individual and to no institution. It belongs to the people,” he stated in an interview with ZezapTV.
Adding to his concerns, Blatter warned that if FIFA were to adopt a profit-driven, corporate structure, it would risk losing the “soul” of the sport he once presided over. The governing body announced plans earlier this week to create this subsidiary and is poised to offer external investors stakes of up to 20 percent in it. This announcement has sparked outrage among European football authorities, including UEFA, which claimed that FIFA is essentially placing the game up for sale.
Blatter contended that the World Cup should never be treated as an investment product for private equity, emphasizing its role as part of “the cultural heritage of world football.” He reinforced his belief that FIFA’s function is that of the guardian of the World Cup rather than its owner. “The FIFA World Cup is not a commercial asset that belongs to a handful of executives,” he said, arguing that the essence of football has thrived for over a century precisely because it belongs to the people.
In light of Blatter’s remarks, the debate surrounding the intertwining of commercial interests and the passion of global football continues. This development raises crucial questions about the future of the sport and whether it can maintain its core identity while facing the relentless march of commercialism. As the football community grapples with this critical juncture, the voices advocating for the sport’s people-centric roots become ever more essential.
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