Sweden’s soccer authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a World Cup boycott in the wake of the controversy surrounding the re-election of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, Swedish FA chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson said yesterday.

Nilsson said the Scandinavian country had not yet discussed the possibility of European governing body UEFA breaking away from FIFA but added that nothing could be discounted.

“It’s a very special situation and one must be prepared to take special actions,” he said in an interview.

“Generally, the Swedish way is not to boycott things. Rather, we believe in influencing things from the inside. (But) it is a very special and extreme situation and we don’t close the door for anything.”

Despite being rocked by a corruption scandal which saw high-ranking FIFA members arrested in a dawn raid at a Zurich hotel, Blatter was re-elected as president of FIFA at the world governing body’s congress last week.

“This is democracy, and in that way one must accept the result, even if one isn’t happy,” said Nilsson, an affable 58-year-old who was involved in local politics before taking over the Swedish FA in 2012.

“Those who lose have to have respect for the winners, but those who win should also show respect for the large amount, 35 per cent, who wanted a different result.”