FA challenge Blatter

The English and Scottish Football Associations are undoubtedly right to call for Fifa’s presidential election tomorrow to be postponed but whether they will get anywhere is another matter.  

The English and Scottish Football Associations are undoubtedly right to call for Fifa’s presidential election tomorrow to be postponed but whether they will get anywhere is another matter.  


First, the statutes of Fifa do not help with their requirements for super majorities and ‘one country, one vote’ in the Congress.   Second, international organisations (and I am vice-president of one) tend to close ranks when they think they are under attack.  Fifa has more of a bunker mentality than most.   Third, Blatter has built a network of support among small and/or poor countries that have received various favours under Fifa programmes that seek to build football in developing countries.


The FA needs to build a coalition of support, not just among European countries but round the world.  Otherwise Fifa can try to make out that the FA is isolated and motivated by sour grapes.  Building that coalition is a longer term task.


More sponsors are piling on the pressure.  Emirates has stated, ‘like all football fans around the world, is disappointed with the issues that are currently surrounding the administration of this sport. Emirates’ sponsorship of all Fifa tournaments, including the Fifa World Cup, aims to help promote football and ensure that it is accessible to the billions of football fans; something Fifa has managed to do extremely well in recent years. We hope that these issues will be resolved as soon as possible and the outcome will be in the interest of the game and sport in general.’


Visa has also expressed its concern although Sony has chosen not to comment.   All this is awkward for Fifa, but it does not represent a killer blow.   Sepp Blatter’s performance yesterday reminded me of a Communist leader in Eastern Europe failing to realise that his authority and credibility was ebbing away.   But it sometimes took a long time to get rid of them.