Blatter criticises 2026 World Cup format and Trump–Infantino relationship

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has sharpened his criticism of the 2026 World Cup, saying the expanded 48-team format and the three-country hosting model are damaging the tournament and disproportionately benefiting the United States.Blatter, 89, said the distribution of matches and benefits across the United States, Canada and Mexico was “not in the spirit of developing football” and argued that the balance between the three co-hosts was wrong.He said: “It’s not right. By putting the three (co-hosts) together, one would have thought they would have roughly the same share of the pie.”Blatter also criticised the tournament’s expansion and the co-hosting structure, saying: “It’s (the competition expansion to 48 teams) not good. And playing in three countries is even worse – especially since two of those countries are receiving nothing but crumbs.”He added: “In this World Cup, the great profiteer will be the United States, but not the spectators. A World Cup should not be organized in a country that does not grant visas (to everyone).”The former FIFA president also attacked what he sees as growing political overlap between football and state power, accusing the relationship between Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino of “turning football into politics”.Blatter said the relationship had altered the context around the tournament. He said: “(Trump and Infantino’s relationship) changed the game for the World Cup.”He also criticised FIFA’s role in awarding a peace prize in that context, saying: “We have never seen anything like it. We play for peace. It is not up to (FIFA) to give out a Peace Prize. Football is a social, cultural and grassroots event.“Turning football into politics – because that is largely what is happening now – is, for me, incomprehensible.”A balancing point in the visa debate is that FIFA’s official 2026 travel guidance states that match tickets do not guarantee a visa or entry, with supporters required to meet the immigration and entry rules of each host country.Separate official travel guidance has also been published for fans planning to attend matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico.Blatter’s remarks come as FIFA continues preparations for the first men’s World Cup to feature 48 teams and the first to be staged across three host countries, with the tournament set to be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.