In control apparatus and method for an inner cylinder spark ignited internal combustion engine having a fuel injection valve configured to directly inject fuel into an inside of an engine cylinder and a spark plug, a super retard combustion is executed to set an ignition timing after a compression stroke top dead center and to inject fuel before the ignition timing and after the compression stroke top dead center during a predetermined engine driving condition and at least part of fuel is injected before the compression stroke top dead center to decrease a fuel injection quantity after the compression stroke top dead center during an interval which is immediately after an engine start and in which a pressure of fuel is relatively low.