Blatter admits ‘bad mistake’ over Qatar World Cup bid

The former FIFA boss also revealed a plan to award the 2022 World Cup to the US following Russia’s hosting of the 2018 edition in a gesture of peace to the world.

Sepp Blatter, the former president of international football body FIFA, has admitted the decision to award this year’s world cup to Qatar was “a bad mistake”.

He has revealed that the executive board of FIFA had agreed that the 2022 edition was to be given to the United States, because making a joint decision of 2018 for Russia and then 2022 to the US would have been a gesture of peace to the world.

Australia unsuccessfully bid for the 2022 world cup, receiving just one vote during the 2018-2022 elections back in 2010.

Mr Blatter, who earlier this year was cleared of fraud charges following a £1.7m payment to the former UEFA president Michel Platini, told the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger that “the choice of Qatar was a mistake’’.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter admits he made “a bad mistake” in allowing Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. Picture: AFP

The 86 year old added: “At the time, we actually agreed in the executive committee that Russia should get the 2018 World Cup and the USA that of 2022. It would have been a gesture of peace if the two long-standing political opponents had hosted the World Cup one after the other.

“I can only repeat: the award to Qatar was a mistake, and I was responsible for that as president at the time… the choice was bad.’’

Mr Blatter said he was glad that with a few exceptions “no footballers are boycotting the World Cup’’. The Qataris have been swamped with long standing criticisms about worker’s rights, and unsafe working conditions in building eight new stadia in the city, as well as the country’s ban on homosexuality.

Labourers work near the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on November 8, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup football tournament. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

Mr Blatter was also critical of his successor, Gianni Infantino, who has relocated himself for large periods of time in Qatar. “ What I’m wondering: why is the new FIFA president living in Qatar? He can’t be the head of the local World Cup organisation. That’s not his job. There are two organising committees for this - a local one and one from FIFA.”

FIFA said in a statement that Mr Infantino began to split his time between FIFA headquarters in Zurich and the Qatari capital, Doha back in 2021 to help prepare the World Cup.

FIFA said in a statement: “As communicated in October 2021, the FIFA President informed the FIFA Council that he would divide his presence between Zurich, Doha and across the world, in order to deliver his presidential duties and be closer to the FIFA World Cup. “As he did during the FIFA Arab Cup, he will work alongside other FIFA staff in our office in Doha, when required, until the conclusion of the tournament. For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Infantino has residency, and remains liable to pay taxes, in Switzerland.”