‘Bring back Blatter’ – Fans say even disgraced ex-Fifa president would be improvement on Infantino amid World Cup plot

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been slammed by fans amid his controversial plan to sell off the World Cup. Infantino is hoping to allow private investment to purchase chunks of the World Cup through a sister company Fifa Forward Enterprise. Fifa chiefGianni Infantino has been slammed by fans over his plans to sell off the World Cup Credit: Reuters Some supporters said the news made them ‘miss’ disgraced ex-president Sepp Blatter Credit: AFP or licensors There have even been claims that Fifa member associations have been promised £30million if they agree to his plan. And furious supporters have raged at Infantino over his proposals and claimed even disgraced former president Sepp Blatter would be an improvement. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! One wrote on X: “I say it again and again but Infantino really makes Blatter look like mother Theresa.” Another added: “And we thought Blatter was bad.” A third said: “I miss Sepp Blatter.” And a fourth commented: “Gianni Infantino makes Sepp Blatter look like an innocent saint. Selling World Cup commercial rights to private equity and political figures crosses every line in sports governance. Football doesn’t belong to FIFA to sell!” Blatter was initially banned from all football-related activities in 2015 for eight years over the Fifa corruption scandal. It was later reduced to six. He was accused of approving a controversial $2million payment to ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini in 2011. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Blatter was banned for eight years over an alleged $2m payment to Michel Platini Credit: Reuters Blatter has maintained the payment was for advisory work done betwen 1998 and 2002. But he himself has even waded into the debate about Infantino’s World Cup proposals, writing on X: “No one has the right to sell our game.” And fans responded by adding: “When you’ve got Sepp Blatter speaking as the voice of reason, you know the game is fully gone.” Gary Neville was one of the major voices slamming Infantino’s proposals on Tuesday. The Sky Sports pundit said: “It’s typical I think of many actions we’ve seen from large organisations in the last five to ten years. It’s not surprising anymore, some of the things we saw in the World Cup. “You’re trying to paint a picture that’s so positive about football because there’s so much to love and there are some great games. Why 'dictator' Infantino's shameful plot to sell World Cup is destined to succeed By Simon Collings GIANNI INFANTINO sent shockwaves through football with his latest plan to change the game as we know it. The controversial president, for his part, can point to the huge revenues Fifa have generated since his time at the helm over the past ten years to explain his popularity. And if this shameful scheme is to get the green light, it will require the majority support of Fifa’s 211 member associations and the governing body’s Council. There are a few reasons – well, actually, a million or so reasons – why they could be on board with them. Read this article in full… “But then you see some of the things that happen from a governance perspective and from a leadership perspective and it falls well short of the standards that football fans would expect and anyone would want for the game. The plans have been condemned by a number of organising bodies, with the FA calling the lack of transparency “deeply concerning”. UEFA, meanwhile, have released a statement slamming Fifa for trying to trade the soul of the sport. The release read: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. Uefa takes it extremely seriously. “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa’s to sell.” There have already been concerns about the future of the game under Fifa after USA striker Folarin Balogun incredibly had his one-match ban suspended. The striker was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina but was allowed to play in the next game against Belgium after Donald Trump asked Fifa to look at the incident. Comment now