Sepp Blatter
Age: 75
Occupation: President of the International Federation of Football
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0
Since Sepp Blatter became president of soccer's global governing body in 1998, his management of the world's most popular sport has made FIFA more profitable and powerful than ever. But that tenure has also been controversial, generating allegations of financial mismanagement, corruption and cronyism. The accusations resurfaced following FIFA's selection last year of dark horses Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Blatter's refusal to introduce high-tech methods to avert game-marring referee errors has also raised eyebrows. But his response to detractors is to point out FIFA's success in fueling soccer's spreading appeal and profitability on his watch.