Blatter

Blatter, Joseph Sepp Blatter (born 1936) is a Swiss football administrator who served as president of FIFA from 1998 to 2015. Born in Visp, Valais, Switzerland, he joined FIFA in the 1970s and was its general secretary from 1981 until his election as president in 1998, succeeding Joao Havelange. His long tenure at FIFA shaped the organization’s activities during a period of rapid globalization of football.

As FIFA president, Blatter oversaw a number of changes and expansions within the sport. His leadership coincided with the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 32 teams, as well as efforts to modernize the federation’s governance and commercial operations. The period also featured high-profile bidding processes for hosting World Cups and ongoing debates about transparency, governance, and integrity in international football.

Blatter’s presidency ended amid a broad corruption scandal that affected FIFA and many of its officials. In 2015, he was suspended by FIFA’s Ethics Committee and subsequently banned from football-related activities for a period of years. The case contributed to a wave of reforms within FIFA aimed at strengthening governance and accountability in the organization.

Blatter remains a controversial figure in football history. His legacy is often discussed in the context of both organizational modernization and the corruption investigations that emerged during the later years of his leadership. The events surrounding his presidency prompted ongoing reforms within FIFA and broader discussions about integrity in international sport.