Blatter to block PL plans

Fifa president says 'foreign round' would damage 2018 World Cup bid

Last updated: 15th February 2008

Blatter to block PL plans

Blatter: Blasts proposal

This will never happen as long as I am the president of Fifa.

Sepp Blatter on the Premier League 'international round'
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Fifa president Sepp Blatter has vowed to block the Premier League's proposal for a round of international fixtures because he does not want the game to turn into a 'circus act'.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has revealed plans to introduce an additional fixture for each club in the 2010/11 season, which would be played overseas.

Blatter, though, has rubbished the idea and insists he will tell the relevant football associations not to accept the idea when a Fifa committee meets on 14th March.

And Blatter has also indicated that, if the Premier League attempt to follow through the proposals, it could damage any possible English bid for the 2018 World Cup.

Unacceptable

"We will make a decision on 14th March at the meeting of Fifa's executive committee," Blatter told the Mirror.

"We will say the national associations must not accept it. We must maintain football as a sport. It is not a show, or the Harlem Globetrotters, or a circus act.

"There is not any chance at all of me changing my mind. My mind is made up.

"If Mr Scudamore says this will help England's World Cup bid let him say it. There are many candidates for 2018.

Decision-making

"I can't imagine when you go against the decision-making body for the World Cup with an initiative that will not be accepted by that body, that it will enhance your chances.

"It will not be diplomatic. If you don't accept the authority of Fifa then you can't expect to win favour."

And Blatter insists that the Premier League have not considered the interests of the game and are only focused upon money making motives.

"To try to have additional exposure and revenue by expanding the league around the world, I think this is not acceptable," added Blatter.

Rude

"It will not be acceptable to the Fifa executive committee, I am sure. This will never happen - at least this will not happen as long as I am the president of Fifa.

"We have not been contacted before by the league to ask us what we think of this idea. You speak about rude but I think it is an anti-responsibility.

"If you are the most prosperous league in the world and if you accept that everyone in football has a responsibility to maintain it not only as a business, but as a game.

"Then, all of a sudden you come out with a project which only has business and money behind it."

A Premier League spokesman added in the Mirror: "We look forward to meeting with Fifa to discuss this matter. This was always the starting point relating to sanctioning and we will be making no comment until after the meeting."