Blatter must resign: major Fifa sponsors

Fifa president Sepp Blatter will not resign despite major sponsors Coca-Cola, Visa, Budweiser and McDonald`s calling for him to go immediately.

The four each issued statements saying Blatter should quit after Swiss criminal proceedings were opened against him last week.

Coca-Cola took the first step, saying: "Every day that passes Fifa`s image and reputation continues to tarnish."

McDonald`s said Blatter going would be "in the best interest of the game".

The 79-year-old is accused by Swiss prosecutors of signing a contract that was "unfavourable to Fifa" and making a "disloyal payment" to Uefa president Michel Platini, but denies any wrongdoing.

In a statement released through his lawyers on Friday, Blatter said resigning now "would not be in the best interest of Fifa, nor would it advance the process of reform".

Budweiser`s parent company, AB InBev, said it considered Blatter "to be an obstacle in the reform process", while Visa said it would be in "the best interests of Fifa and the sport" for the Swiss to resign immediately.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke described Friday`s developments as a "game-changer".

He added: "It doesn`t matter what Mr Blatter says now. If the people who pay for Fifa want a change they will get a change. For those of us who want fundamental change, this is good news." -BBC