Sepp Blatter, former president of In a recent interview with Radio Canada, the 89-year-old director stated that the Estados Unidos will host the majority of games, while Canadá and México host few, which goes against the spirit of global football development.
Blatter highlighted that the tournament will have 104 matches in total, with the Estados Unidos organizing 78 of them, including all from the round of 16 onwards. Ele considered this division to be unbalanced and detrimental to the minor co-hosts. Além In addition, the former director questioned the expansion of the number of teams to 48, classifying it as inappropriate for the event.
Criticism of the division of games between host countries
Blatter emphasized that the choice of three nations to host the tournament further complicated the distribution. Ele noted that México will open the competition on June 11 against África of Sul, Cidade of México, but the country will only host a small fraction of the matches. Canadá and México, together, will have around 13 games each, according to recent reports.
The former president of Fifa argued that this configuration excessively favors the Estados Unidos. Ele described the situation as the two co-hosts receiving only “crumbs” compared to the volume of matches and economic benefits to the US.
Expansion of the tournament and impacts on football development
The expansion to 48 selections, implemented by the current management of Fifa, received direct disapproval from Blatter. Ele stated that the change does not contribute to the balanced growth of sport worldwide. The director argued that the traditional format better preserved the competitive essence.
Blatter recalled that the increase in teams aims for greater inclusion, but in practice it generates logistical imbalances. Ele considered that an excess of games dilutes quality and overloads the tournament structure.
Relationship between Trump and Infantino at the center of controversy
The former president of Fifa openly criticized the closeness between the president of Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, and the current representative of the entity, Gianni Infantino. Blatter accused this connection of inserting political elements into football.
He mentioned the delivery of Prêmio FIFA from Paz to Trump as something incomprehensible. Blatter reinforced that football must remain a social, cultural and grassroots event, without transforming into a political instrument.
Concerns about visa policies and tournament access
Blatter expressed reservations about holding Copa in a country that imposes visa restrictions. Ele cited that qualified nations such as Senegal, Costa of Marfim, Irã and Haiti face entry barriers due to recent policies adopted in the
The leader argued that a host country needs to guarantee unrestricted access to all fans and delegations. Ele stated that such limitations go against the sport’s principles of universality.
Historical context of Blatter in Fifa and its current vision
Blatter presided over Fifa between 1998 and 2015, a period marked by expansions and controversies. Ele was suspended for eight years in an ethics investigation related to questionable payments, but was acquitted of financial irregularities by a Swiss court in 2025.
Currently, the director remains critical of the entity’s current management. Ele follows the preparations for 2026 and argues that the tournament preserves fundamental football values.
The Copa of the Mundo of 2026 will take place between June and July, with games distributed in several cities in the three countries. The final is scheduled for a stadium in Estados Unidos.
