Blatter promises ‘new’ FIFA, admits change needed

World football chief Sepp Blatter on Friday promised that a “new FIFA” would choose the 2018 and 2022 hosts for the World Cup next month but admitted that changes would be needed in the future.

Blatter said that world football’s governing body and its showcase event were gaining more than sporting stature.

“Having this importance also in the economy, then we have a political dimension,” he told journalists following an executive committee meeting to discuss the World Cup bidding scandal.

“Now we have to have a look at how to act in the future to avoid such situations, definitely this is an item which is now under scrutiny,” he added, a day after FIFA ethics committee banned two executive committee members for one to three years over bribery or misconduct.

Blatter said all nine bidders were expected to bring top political leaders to back their final pitch to host the 2018 and 2022 events in Zurich on December 2.

“A new FIFA is taking the responsibility to decide on the two World Cups in 2018 and 2022,” FIFA’s president said.

England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium are in the running to host the 2018 World Cup while Australia, the United States, Japan, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022.