By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) - England should have won the hosting rights for the soccer World Cup before the next free date in 2038 and before Saudi Arabia which will hold the 2034 edition, former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said in a recent interview.
Blatter, who was the president of FIFA from 1998 to 2015, expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of World Cup hosting rights, stating that England, as one of the founding members of FIFA and a country with a rich football history, should have been given priority to host the tournament.
The decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia has sparked controversy, with many questioning the suitability of the country to host such a major international event, given its human rights record and lack of football infrastructure.
Blatter's comments come as a surprise, given his own tumultuous tenure as FIFA president, which was marked by corruption scandals and controversies surrounding World Cup hosting rights.
Despite this, Blatter remains a prominent figure in the football world and his opinions carry significant weight, with many seeing his comments as a reflection of the widespread discontent among football fans and officials regarding the current state of FIFA and its decision-making processes.
The English Football Association has yet to comment on Blatter's statements, but it is likely that they will be closely watched in the coming days and weeks as the debate over World Cup hosting rights continues to simmer.
As the football world waits with bated breath to see how the situation unfolds, one thing is clear: the battle for World Cup hosting rights is far from over, and it will be interesting to see which countries emerge victorious in the end.