Infantino under fire as Blatter calls for woman to lead FIFA

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said that a woman should lead world football’s governing body and pointed to Lise Klaveness as a potential candidate.

“Lise Klaveness deserves the utmost respect. She was the only one who always took a clear stand and did not go along with the mainstream. And at FIFA, the time is right for a woman to take the lead,” Blatter wrote on X on Tuesday, August 4.

Klaveness, a former international footballer, currently serves as president of the Norwegian Football Federation and has emerged as one of the most outspoken voices in global football governance debates.

In 2025, she drew widespread attention for publicly advocating the exclusion of Israel from international competitions amid the ongoing conflict with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza.

Blatter’s remarks come at a time of mounting criticism of current FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Last week, Infantino unveiled a multibillion-dollar proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors, a plan that triggered strong opposition across the football community.

The proposal prompted significant backlash, including threats from UEFA to boycott the World Cup. Following the protests, Infantino withdrew the plan.

Klaveness has been a consistent critic of both FIFA and Infantino, frequently calling for greater transparency and accountability within the organisation.

Infantino’s expected bid for another term as FIFA president, covering the 2027–2031 cycle, is now facing increased scrutiny in the wake of the failed deal. Several major football bodies — including UEFA, the Football Association, and the German Football Association — have expressed concerns, citing a growing loss of trust in FIFA’s leadership.

By Tamilla Hasanova