'I created a monster' - Sepp Blatter explains how football is being 'sold-out' and 'going in the wrong direction' as ex-FIFA boss regrets vast amount of money in the game

Blatter, who served as FIFA president for 17 years before his removal in 2015, revealed how the organisation evolved from a financially struggling entity into an economic juggernaut. Reflecting on his early days as FIFA's director of development programs in 1975, Blatter stated that the governing body was once far from the financial powerhouse it is today and even major sponsors like Adidas hardly provided any cash.

In an interview with Watson, Blatter said: "I created a monster. FIFA was poor when I started there as director of development programs in 1975. Sponsors like Adidas didn't pay any money, they just gave balls and shirts. The first sponsorship deal that really brought in money was the one with Coca-Cola in 1976. Then there was public television, which suddenly allowed advertising. Football became a super product for television, a super show that could be sold for a lot of money. The first World Cup that really brought in money was the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. When (Gianni) Infantino became president in 2016, he sat in a ready-made nest; the money machine was running. Now he is fueling it more and more."

Blatter expressed deep concern over what he sees as the oversaturation of football competitions and their detrimental effects on the sport as he criticised the expansion of both international and club tournaments under FIFA and UEFA.

"We are witnessing the sell-out of football," he said. "Take the European Association, UEFA. There used to be a cup for the champions, one for the cup winners, and another for the trade fair cities. Today there is a Champions League with 36 teams, a Europa League with 36, a Conference League with 36. And then there is the Nations League.

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, representing nearly a quarter of FIFA's member associations. Additionally, the FIFA Club World Cup is set to expand to 32 teams in 2025. While these changes have been celebrated for generating immense revenue, Blatter warned that they risk alienating fans.

"Forty-eight countries are already taking part in the next World Cup in 2026, which is almost a quarter of all FIFA member countries," he said. "In addition, from 2025 there will be the FIFA Club World Cup with 32 teams. Everyone applauds because there is a lot of money. But this oversaturation is leading to a dwindling interest in football, I notice that myself. Quo Vadis, football?"

Blatter also pointed to the rising costs for fans and increasing violence both on and off the field as indicators of the sport's troubling trajectory. He lamented how football has shifted from being a socio-cultural activity that taught life lessons to becoming a battlefield in every respect.

"Almost everywhere is going in the wrong direction at the moment," he said. "Tickets are getting more and more expensive. With increasing commercialisation, there is more violence at all levels, on and off the field. Instead of remaining what it was, a socio-cultural asset, a place where you learn to win but also to lose, football is increasingly becoming a battlefield in every respect."

FIFA's ongoing struggle to secure broadcast rights for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup might be an indicator of the waning interest in the sport. Despite the tournament’s June 15 kick off date and high expectations, no agreement has been reached for global broadcasting rights. Although reports suggested that Apple offered $1 billion for the rights, it is a figure significantly below FIFA's expectations.