BY SCM SPORT REPORTER
DISGRACED former FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter has launched an explosive attack on successor Gianni Infantino — accusing him of trying to sell football’s “soul” to private equity money men.
The 88-year-old Swiss ex-boss ripped into current FIFA chiefs over controversial plans to open up international football tournaments and commercial rights to outside investors.
In a blistering message aimed straight at Infantino, Blatter warned that turning the world governing body into a corporate cash-cow risks destroying the sport forever.
’FIFA IS NOT A HEDGE FUND’
Blatter declared: “FIFA is not a private equity fund.
”It is an association with statutes, regulations, and a fiduciary responsibility to protect the global game.
”If you sell football’s crown jewels to private investors, you also sell part of the game – especially its soul. Money matters, but it must never become everything.”
The dramatic broadside comes amid mounting anger across Europe over FIFA’s relentless push for fresh revenue streams.
Infantino has spent months courting sovereign wealth funds and global private equity firms to help bankroll expanded competitions — including the controversial 32-team Club World Cup and revamped international broadcasting packages.
WAR OF THE PRESIDENTS
Blatter was ousted from world football’s top job in 2015 following a massive international corruption scandal that rocked the sport to its core.
He was later cleared of fraud charges by a Swiss court in 2022 alongside former UEFA chief Michel Platini, though he remains banned from football by FIFA’s ethics committee.
Despite his murky exit, Blatter has frequently fired shots at Infantino — his former right-hand man at UEFA — over his aggressive commercial expansion of the sport.
European leagues, player unions (FIFPRO), and fan organizations have already voiced fierce opposition to Infantino’s bloated calendar, warning of player burnout and overcrowded fixture lists.
Blatter’s latest outburst underlines growing fears among football purists that decisions at Zurich HQ are now driven entirely by profit margins rather than the heritage of the beautiful game.
FIFA has so far refused to comment on Blatter’s scathing attack.