MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Despite incident, defiant Blatter won't leave FIFA until after successor is elected February 26

“This is for North Korea 2026,” Brodkin said as he put the bills on the desk in front of Blatter. He then tossed the notes into the air as security led him away. (Pic Reuters)

A British comedian disrupted a news conference by Sepp Blatter on Monday, showering the FIFA president with fake money. As Blatter took his seat, performer Simon Brodkin rose from a front-row seat to confront him.

 “This is for North Korea 2026,” Brodkin said as he put the bills on the desk in front of Blatter. “Thank you very much. As a North Korean football ambassador, I'm delighted that I've been able to seal the deal with FIFA and North Korea for the 2026 World Cup. It makes sense for everyone.”

Brodkin then tossed the notes into the air as security led him away.

“Here we go Sepp,” he said. “Thank you. Cheers Sepp. It's all there, as discussed. Thank you. Good doing business.”

Blatter left the room, saying, “We have to clean here first.” He returned a few minutes later and made a quip about the incident.

“This has nothing to do with football,” Blatter said. “I just called my late mother and she said, 'Don't worry, it's just a lack of education.”

The comical incident only delayed a few minutes the announcement by FIFA executive committee that the February election for a new president of the world organization will be taking place on February 26, thus ending weeks of uncertainty about his immediate future.

“On the 26th of February FIFA will have a new president,” Blatter said. “I cannot be the new president because I am the old president”.

The 79-year-old Blatter, who first joined FIFA 40 years ago, has held onto the most powerful job in world soccer since 1998.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who lost to Blatter in May, had anticipated that “President Blatter's resignation cannot be dragged out any longer. He must leave now.”

But while Blatter said he felt “regret” about the crises, he insisted he would not be “abandoning” the presidency until a successor is elected by the 209 members.

“I am still the elected president by 133 national associations and I will use my mandate as president ... to make sure that when at the end of February I come at the end of my career I can say the FIFA we have started again — with the reforms,” Blatter said, highlighting the need to “rebuild the reputation of FIFA.”

The Feb. 26 date was seen as a political victory for Blatter over UEFA and other confederations, who thought they had agreement on Sunday for Jan. 15. Instead, Blatter and senior vice president Issa Hayatou cited the importance of the second-tier African Nations Championship — a tournament for little-known home-based players — hosted in Rwanda from Jan. 16-Feb. 7.

Presidential candidates must gain five nominations from FIFA's 209 member associations by an Oct. 26 deadline. Only former Brazil great Zico and Liberia football federation president Musa Bility have so far expressed their intention to stand. Other potential candidates are Prince Ali and UEFA President Michel Platini, who is still mulling over his decision.

In a statement Platini limited himself to saying: “Now we have a concrete date, which means we can look forward to new leadership which will surely bring with it new ideas and new solutions.”

Platini welcomed the creation of a reforms task force, which will consider introducing term limits, integrity checks for executive committee members and pay details.