Sepp Blatter argues that England should have won the rights to host the 2034 World Cup over Saudi Arabia. He believes England’s past contributions to football merit recognition and expresses concerns over increased Middle Eastern influence in sports. Blatter criticizes FIFA’s expansion of the World Cup, linking it to a potential decline in quality.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has expressed his belief that England deserved to host the 2034 World Cup before Saudi Arabia, which has been awarded the hosting rights through an uncontested process. He pointed out that England’s contributions to football warranted recognition with a World Cup hosting opportunity, particularly since they’ve sought to host the tournament again since their victory in 1966.
Blatter commented on how England should continue their efforts to secure hosting rights, stating that the decision to award Saudi Arabia was strategically planned to avoid opposition. He also discussed broader concerns about the increasing influence of Middle Eastern countries in sports like football and Formula 1, urging England to be proactive in their bidding efforts for the World Cup.
The decision to host the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia has faced scrutiny due to the country’s desert climate and human rights concerns, paralleling criticisms directed at Qatar for the 2022 tournament. Consequently, England’s next chance to host the World Cup will be in 2038, missing the opportunity to hold it again sooner.
Additionally, Blatter criticized FIFA’s recent expansions of the World Cup, expressing worries that increasing the tournament size dilutes its quality. The upcoming tournament in 2026 will feature 48 teams, a marked increase from the 32 teams that participated in 2022, which he believes detracts from the spectator experience.
In summary, Sepp Blatter’s comments reflect concerns regarding Saudi Arabia’s World Cup hosting rights and the implications of Middle Eastern influence in global sports. He advocates for England to resume their pursuit of hosting the World Cup and expresses trepidations about the expansion of the tournament undermining its quality, emphasizing that balance must be sought to preserve the integrity of the game.
Original Source: www.news18.com
