Greg Dyke Compares FIFA and Sepp Blatter to North Korea and Kim Jong-un
In a striking critique of FIFA and its president Sepp Blatter, Greg Dyke, chairman of the English Football Association (FA), has likened the world football governing body to the authoritarian regime of North Korea. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Dyke said, “It sometimes reminds me of North Korea,” highlighting the unquestioning loyalty within FIFA’s leadership. “At FIFA, everyone is behind the leader,” he added, drawing an unflattering parallel between Blatter and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Dyke’s comments come amid ongoing tensions between the FA and FIFA, particularly regarding allegations of corruption linked to the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. The FA chairman has announced a bold stance: England will no longer submit bids to host any FIFA tournaments while Blatter remains in charge. “We will focus on hosting UEFA tournaments,” Dyke said, acknowledging that under the current FIFA leadership, England’s chances of securing a World Cup would be slim.
On the contentious scheduling of the 2022 World Cup, Dyke dismissed the idea of holding the tournament in the summer months, insisting that “No chance” it would take place then. Instead, he suggested that the football season would need to pause for two months to accommodate the event.
FIFA’s reputation has taken a severe hit in recent years, and Blatter’s leadership is often criticised. Even FIFA’s own president, Uruguay’s José Mujica, recently described the organisation in harsh terms, calling it a “bunch of sons of bitches,” reflecting widespread frustration within the football community. Dyke’s comments add to the growing chorus of discontent with FIFA’s governance and the controversies surrounding its leadership.
