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Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has criticised his successor, Gianni Infantino, over an apology to football officials and a reported promise of $25 million for every national football association.
Blatter, who led FIFA from 1998 to 2015, responded sarcastically to Infantino’s remarks at a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, questioning whether financial promises could restore confidence in football’s governing body.
Infantino’s apology followed growing criticism over a proposal to open the FIFA World Cup to private-sector investors. The initiative reportedly generated concerns about its management, communication and implications for the organisation.
Addressing members of the FIFA Council, Infantino acknowledged that mistakes had been made in handling and communicating the project, which had attracted widespread criticism.
“I would like to say that we apologise for the mistakes made in managing this project and in communicating about it, which has had many consequences,” Infantino said.
He also reportedly promised a financial package worth $25 million for every national association, although the proposal did not secure unanimous backing within the FIFA Council.
Blatter mocks Infantino’s apology
Reacting to the development in a post on X, Blatter used religious imagery to mock Infantino’s apology and the funding promise.
“Gianni Infantino, the greatest! An astonishing performance in Zurich: Infantino, who appears to be a good Catholic, confesses his sins and then promises 25 million. Confession, forgiveness and absolution, all in a single appearance! The Pope must be delighted,” Blatter wrote.
The former FIFA president’s remarks suggested that the apology and financial pledge were insufficient to address the concerns surrounding the proposal.
Blatter, who was succeeded by Infantino in 2016, has remained a prominent critic of developments within FIFA since leaving office.
‘Credibility cannot be bought’
Blatter concluded his criticism with a pointed remark about the relationship between financial incentives and public trust in football administration.
“But in football, as in the Church, credibility cannot be bought,” he wrote.
His comments add to the criticism facing Infantino over the proposed private-sector investment plan and the manner in which it was handled.
The controversy has raised questions about FIFA’s decision-making process and the level of support for the proposal among football administrators.
Infantino’s apology was intended to acknowledge the concerns surrounding the project, but Blatter’s response indicates that the dispute remains a subject of debate within the football community.
FIFA has yet to see the controversy fully settled, with scrutiny continuing over the proposed funding package and the broader implications of involving private-sector investors in the World Cup.
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