The World Cup award to Qatar has been marred by controversy, including allegations of corruption and human rights violations, since it was announced.
Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, was also embroiled in corruption allegations during his tenure. He was acquitted of fraud by a Swiss court in June, but prosecutors have appealed the sentence.
“It is a very small country. Soccer and the World Cup are too big for himBlatter said of Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to host the tournament.
In 2012, he said, FIFA changed the criteria it used to select host countries in light of concerns about working conditions on construction sites related to the event in Qatar.
“Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account“, he pointed.
Blatter said he will watch the World Cup, which starts in less than two weeks, from his home in Zurich.