FIFA President Sepp Blatter will not go to New Zealand for the Under-20 World Cup final on Saturday.
Amid speculation that Blatter risks arrest in many countries, FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that he will remain in his native Switzerland instead of travelling to Auckland.
“Due to his current commitments in Zurich, the FIFA president will not be able to travel to New Zealand to attend the final,” the governing body said in a statement.
Blatter’s plans have been uncertain since seven football officials were arrested in FIFA’s home city three weeks ago in an American investigation of corruption. They face extradition to the United States.
The FIFA president, who has announced plans to resign within months, is a target of the widening case, a law enforcement official has confirmed.
Blatter is working on a slate of modernizing reforms he hopes to get approved at a special election meeting of 209 member federations. It should be held sometime from December to March.
He would typically attend at least one match at the two-yearly under-20 event but is skipping the whole tournament.
