Joseph S. Blatter travelled to St Petersburg on 25 January for a two-day visit. After arriving in the historic city, President Blatter met with UEFA President Michel Platini, as well as UEFA Vice-President Marios Lefkaritis and the President of the Russian FA, Vitaly Mutko Aside from attending the final of the 16th Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Baltic States Cup, the FIFA President also had some official business to attend to, joining his UEFA counterpart in a series of individual meetings with the heads of several of the CIS’s football associations. Prior to his trip to St Petersburg, Blatter made a short visit to the Russian capital, Moscow, to inaugurate the Russian association’s new headquarters, which were built as part of the Goal Programme.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ drawing ever closer, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter received a visit from Jacob Zuma at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on Tuesday, 29 January. Zuma, the former vice-president of the Republic of South Africa, was elected President of the African National Congress (ANC) in Decem¬ber 2007.
“I feel very honoured to be a guest of the FIFA President and to have received such a warm welcome,” said Zuma upon his arrival. “Football is the most popular sport in the world and it is therefore a privilege for me to be here at the Home of FIFA.” FIFA President Blatter congratulated the ANC President on his recent election and the pair went on to have a friendly discussion on a number of subjects relating to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the host country. “We are very much looking forward to working with South Africa,” Blatter said. “The global football family is hoping to organise the best ever World Cup in your country.”

FIFA, UEFA and a number of top European clubs signed a letter of intent at the Home of FIFA on 15 January which starts a new chapter in the relations between the governing bodies and the clubs.
The development is very much in line with the sporting and political philosophy of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, who seek to involve all key stakeholders in the decision-making processes of football and to find workable solutions within the football family itself. The European clubs share this philosophy.
The representatives of the organisations present agreed on the intention to regulate their future relationship with a number of actions. These are to include the planned evolution of the European Club Forum into the European Club Association (ECA), the formal signature of a memorandum of understanding with UEFA and subsequently the dissolution of the G-14 with the withdrawal of its claims in court. As part of the planned moves, UEFA and FIFA will enter into a series of commitments including financial contributions for player participation in European Championships and World Cups, subject to the approval of their respective bodies.
Blatter hailed the meeting as a historic occasion and a turning point in modern football. “Something special has happened today. The clubs, which are the basic cells of our game and fundamental to its thriving, are at last to become a part of the pyramidal football organisation. Today’s letter of intent gives a big boost to football. We have reached this positive conclusion by taking care of the legitimate aspirations and requests of clubs to access the decision-making levels of international football.”