Money Matters

Fifa cash tills keep ringingA golden era is about to begin for football's world governing body FIFA. For its new President, the challenge wi...

Fifa cash tills keep ringing

A golden era is about to begin for football8217;s world governing body FIFA. For its new President, the challenge will be how to administer the unprecedented sums coming into the game.

Joseph Blatter will get off to the healthiest of starts when FIFA8217;s executive committee meets this evening for the first time under its new leadership.

The new four-year FIFA budget comes to 691.5 million Swiss Francs about 460 million, six times the previous budget.

Blatter8217;s first task will be to come up with ideas on how the money mainly income from television rights for the next World Cups is to be spent. The broadcasting rights for the next World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, are worth 1.3 billion Swiss Francs.

Ten million dollars is going to the six continental confederations.

FIFA still has a staff of only 65, not nearly enough for Blatter, particularly in view of the vast sums of money the organisation is now administering.

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After the at times acrimoniouselection campaign for the FIFA presidency between Blatter and Lennart Johansson, Blatter finds himself ruling against a majority in the executive who favoured the Swedish President of the European governing body, UEFA.

Blatter may get around this by creating a new executive council, a move he has often mooted. Yet both Blatter and Johansson maintain they are interested in achieving a consensus.

8220;No one wants to set up an opposition against Blatter. Football is the important thing,8221; said Egidius Braun, President of the German Football Federation DFB.

Blatter will be recommending today that future presidential elections are not held ahead of a World Cup but between tournaments, as is the case at the International Olympic Committee.

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Also on the agenda are a debate on Blatter8217;s successor to the post of secretary general Michael Zen-Ruffinen is acting secretary general and the appointment of Michel Platini as new FIFA sports director.

No decisions will be taken at the meeting, but Blatter saidthese issues should be finalised by the end of the year.