Newly re-elected FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on 30 May that the 2026 World Cup would not be held in Asia.
Blatter in his first press conference after his re-election, held at the FIFA headquarters, said, “Qatar will host the 2022 edition and traditionally the next World Cup is not held in the same continent. The 2018 World Cup in Russia will still have 32 teams, with slots for each continent unchanged.”
“We have decided that any association from around the world can bid for the 2026 World Cup, apart from countries [and regions] in Asia,” Blatter, 79, said.
“We will work with our institutions and that way we will avoid future situations where there are surprises that catch us on the back foot,” he said.
“Furthermore, these crimes that have been committed, we need to establish whether they are administrative or criminal in nature. I do not see how FIFA are directly affected by the situations in the Americas and the people involved could have been indicted at any time other than two days before the FIFA Congress.”
He said FIFA has shown unity and he is happy that he is not alone to fight. FIFA and the Michel Platini-led Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which urged him to resign before the election, need each other and will have to work closer together in the future, he added.
“I am speaking to you as the president of FIFA and I will do my work. We will continue to fight for good things. It is my duty to live up to my responsibility and help recover our reputation, but I am not alone. The executive committee is with me,” Blatter added.
