Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini acquitted of fraud charges

This follows allegations of their involvement in fraud, forgery, mismanagement, and the misappropriation of more than £1.55 million of FIFA money in 2011, which was allegedly paid by Blatter to Platini.

Despite these accusations, both were acquitted of financial wrongdoing in July 2022 before facing another trial in Switzerland in 2025, where they have again been cleared.

The charges, which included fraud, forgery, misappropriation of funds, and mismanagement, were dismissed by three federal judges.

However, the Attorney General’s Office in Switzerland challenged their acquittal, instead pushing for 20-month sentences, suspended for two years.

Blatter and Platini were once again acquitted on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, of all charges.

The scandal ended Platini’s hopes of succeeding Blatter as the president of FIFA, a position for which he had been heavily favored.

Both he and Blatter were suspended from football activities in 2015.