An English comedian threw money at Sepp Blatter as the president of world football’s governing body prepared to give details of the February 26 presidential election at a press conference.

Blatter, who announced at the start of June that he would be standing down as president of FIFA, was about to address the world’s media in Zurich when Simon Brodkin interrupted proceedings before being hauled away by security staff.

Blatter left the stage and an official from the world governing body later revealed that the press conference would be delayed.

Brodkin, better known by his alter-ego Lee Nelson, has a history of performing pranks and interrupted Kanye West’s Glastonbury set last month.

Brodkin also attempted to warm up with Manchester City players ahead of their Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park in March 2013.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter (background) gestures as English comedian Simon Brodkin holds fake banknotes during a press conference in Zurich, yesterday.

Yesterday, Brodkin was heard saying “Sepp, this is for North Korea in 2026” before throwing a wad of banknotes into the air as security guards ushered him away from the stage.

The press conference was delayed as organisers cleaned up the notes and Blatter returned to the stage approximately 10 minutes later.

It was under the guise of another one of his on-stage personas that Brodkin carried out the stunt, that of ‘footballer’ Jason Bent.

He later took to Twitter to poke more fun at Blatter. “Excited to be at FIFA meeting Sepp Blatter to secure the #NorthKorea2026 World Cup,” Brodkin posted from his @Jason9 Bent account.

Londoner Brodkin has been performing for more than a decade and found fame on TV in 2010 with BBC Three’s Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show and Lee Nelson’s Well Funny People three years later.

Meanwhile, a group campaigning for reform at FIFA have called for former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to be put in charge of an independent reform commission.

“We are calling for Kofi Annan to come into this mess and take control of the reform process,” Jaimie Fuller, a co-founder of “New FIFA Now”, told reporters.

Tim Noonan, of ITUC, the international trade union body, said his organisation had been in touch with Annan.

“We have spoken to Kofi Annan... he has indicated that he (would be) open to receiving a proposal, the initial contact has been made,” said Noonan, adding that a formal offer would have to come from the “world of football”.