EX-CHIEF BLATTER TO ATTEND WORLD CUP

FORMER Fifa president Sepp Blatter has said he will attend the World Cup as a guest of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The Swiss was in charge of f o o t b a l l ’s g l o b a l governing body at the time Russia was awarded the tournament in December 2010, before his reign ended amid a corruption scandal involving Fifa.

He was suspended in December 2015 for eight years, later reduced to six, a f t e r a n i nv e s t i g a t i o n carried out by Fifa’s ethics committee.

It brought an end to his reign as president after 17 years i n charge but Blatter, who repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, looks set t o make an appearance during Russia 2018.

He said: “I will be i n Moscow first and it will be very nice. I will stay i n Moscow.”

The 82-year-old added that he would meet Putin during his trip.

He said: “I am his guest. We will meet somewhere but I don’t know where yet because they refuse to disclose the exact location. It will be a sporting and diplomatic mission f or me.”