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Sepp Blatter attacks Gianni Infantino and accuses him of turning FIFA into an authoritarian-run organization, “A dictator”

Riana Gegiu

12 November 2026, 15:01

Sport

Sepp Blatter / Foto: Shutterstock.com

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Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s former president, sharply attacked the governing body’s current head, Gianni Infantino, in an interview with Der Spiegel. Blatter criticized the direction in which the organization has evolved and opposed in particular the idea of privatizing the World Cup.

The former official compared Infantino to “a dictator who should be sent to a psychiatric hospital” and claimed that he considers himself untouchable. Blatter said that people within FIFA had allegedly told him that no one was allowed to use the elevator together with the organization’s president.

According to FIFA’s former head, Infantino “no longer knows any limits” and does not understand what is happening around him. The remarks revive the long-distance conflict between the two officials after Blatter left FIFA’s leadership.

The criticism comes at a time when Infantino is being challenged by several institutions and figures in football. Despite this, he is considered the favorite to secure a new term at the election scheduled for March next year in Rabat, Morocco.

Context: Legal challenges and disputes surrounding Gianni Infantino, before Sepp Blatter’s criticism

Before the interview, FIFA was involved in a public conflict with UEFA: the world governing body accused the European federation of conducting a “disinformation campaign” to influence the elections for FIFA leadership. The dispute began after UEFA requested access in US courts to documents and depositions related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, while FIFA denied the allegations, saying that the proceedings concerned legal procedures and not alleged personal benefits.

At the same time, Infantino was also the target of criticism regarding his tenure: Miguel Maduro, former head of FIFA’s Governance Committee, argued that Infantino would not be able to run for a fourth term in 2027, citing limitations in the statutes and the calculation of terms. FairSquare urged FIFA member associations to declare him ineligible.

Infantino was also included in other controversies related to the handling of disciplinary situations in the context of the 2026 World Cup, with the information presented by DPA through references to investigations published by The New York Times and Le Monde.