Ex-FIFA president was forced to resign and banned from football for 12 years

Sepp Blatter’s 12-year ban from football remains in force, but the shadow of his downfall now stretches over the man who replaced him. Gianni Infantino, who took the FIFA presidency in February 2016, is facing a crisis of confidence among the game’s most influential voices, raising questions about whether the governing body’s leadership can survive intact. With Blatter’s suspension running until June 2028 and Infantino under sustained pressure over controversial plans to sell minority stakes in FIFA competitions—including the World Cup—to private investors, the organisation finds itself trapped between past scandals and present turmoil.

Blatter’s ban endures as the past refuses to fade

Sepp Blatter, the 90-year-old former FIFA president, is still serving a combined ban of more than 12 years from all football-related activities. His first suspension came on 8 December 2015, when he and Michel Platini were handed eight-year bans—later reduced to six years—over a £1.3 million payment made in 2011. Both men denied wrongdoing, arguing the money was compensation for Platini’s advisory work between 1998 and 2002. Though they were cleared of corruption charges in Swiss courts in 2025, Blatter had already announced his resignation in June 2015 amid a US-led corruption inquiry. His departure cleared the way for Infantino, who assumed the presidency in February 2016.

Blatter’s troubles did not end there. On 11 March 2021, he received an additional six years and eight months, extending his exclusion until June 2028. This second ban followed multiple breaches of FIFA’s ethics code, including unauthorised media interviews and public statements that contravened the terms of his initial suspension. Even as legal vindication arrived years later, the reputational damage and operational restrictions remain. FIFA’s ethics committee confirmed in its ruling that Blatter’s conduct had “undermined the integrity of the organisation,” a finding that underscores the depth of the governance failures during his tenure.

Infantino’s leadership unravels as allies retreat

Infantino’s position has grown precarious after plans to sell minority stakes in FIFA competitions—including the World Cup—to private investors sparked fierce opposition. The English Football Association is reportedly preparing to withdraw its support for his re-election, following the Welsh FA’s lead. UEFA, Europe’s governing body, has publicly distanced itself, stating in a 27 February 2024 statement that “the current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.” The growing defiance suggests Infantino’s grip on power is weakening, with major stakeholders questioning both his strategy and transparency.

This is not the first time a FIFA president has faced existential criticism. Blatter’s reign from 1998 to 2015 was defined by scandal, culminating in his resignation under the weight of US corruption charges. Yet the irony is stark: the man who replaced a disgraced leader is now confronting his own legitimacy crisis, with the spectre of Blatter’s failures still haunting FIFA’s corridors. The Mirror Football understands that at least five European national associations are now reviewing their positions on Infantino’s re-election, with concerns centred on the lack of consultation over the proposed investment deals.

The governance vacuum at football’s summit

FIFA’s current predicament reflects deeper structural weaknesses. The push to monetise competitions through private investment has collided with resistance from traditional stakeholders, who argue that such deals prioritise commercial interests over the sport’s integrity. The withdrawal of support from national associations risks destabilising Infantino’s re-election bid, particularly if other confederations follow UEFA’s lead. Meanwhile, Blatter’s enduring ban ensures he remains a symbolic reminder of FIFA’s ethical lows, even as his legal exoneration complicates the narrative of his culpability.

The organisation now faces a choice: double down on Infantino’s market-driven agenda or pivot toward reform that rebuilds trust with federations, players, and fans. The absence of a clear successor—amid Blatter’s exclusion and Infantino’s embattled status—leaves FIFA in a leadership vacuum, with no obvious path to stability. FIFA’s own statutes require a two-thirds majority for presidential re-election, meaning that even a partial withdrawal of support could prove decisive. With the next election due in 2027, the clock is ticking for Infantino to regain the confidence of the football world.

For now, Blatter’s suspension stands as a relic of football’s most turbulent era, while Infantino’s future hangs by a thread. The question is no longer whether FIFA can escape its past, but whether it can navigate a present that increasingly resembles the dysfunction that once defined Blatter’s reign.