Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called the 2010 decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup a "mistake" just weeks before the tournament gets underway. Blatter, now 86 and disgraced after his exit from world soccer's governing body amid corruption allegations along with former UEFA chief Michel Platini, now says he regrets the decision.

Qatar is about to host the international game's most prestigious competition later this month and will be the first Middle Eastern host nation in World Cup history. Blatter told Swiss publication Tages Anzeiger that Qatar is "too small of a country" to be successful hosts because "soccer and the World Cup are too big for it."

"It was a bad choice, and I was responsible for that as president at the time," said Blatter. "Thanks to the four votes of Platini and his (UEFA) team, the World Cup went to Qatar rather than the United States. It is the truth."