Scandal forces FIFA to suspend 2026 World Cup bidding process
Football's world governing body, FIFA, has postponed the bidding process for the hosting of the 2026 World Cup amid ongoing investigations into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids.
FIFA's Secretary General Jerome Valcke confirmed the delay in a news conference in Russia on Wednesday, saying it is “nonsense to start any bidding process for the time being.”
Valcke was referring to a deepening corruption scandal at FIFA that has led to the resignation announcement of its long-serving president, Sepp Blatter. Swiss prosecutors and the US authorities are currently looking into the alleged financial irregularities in the affairs of the international body, including the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments to Russia and Qatar.
Valcke had announced in March that the vote to pick the 2026 World Cup host would take place in Kuala Lumpur in May 2017 with the United States, Mexico and Canada expected to be among the bidders for the event. Kazakhstan was also among the potential contenders as officials announced in March that they were examining the possibility of bidding.
An official statement by FIFA also confirmed the suspension of the bidding process, saying the final decision on the issue will be discussed later.
“It was decided to place the administrative process on hold for the 2026 FIFA World Cup bidding due to the current situation,” said the statement, adding, “Further decisions regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup bidding process will be discussed by the FIFA Executive Committee at a later date.”
Head of the Union of European Football Associations Michel Platini, a staunch opponent of Blatter, welcomed the decision Wednesday, saying it should not be seen as a surprise.
“There was due to be a vote in 2017 but there is no leadership at FIFA so it's a good thing," said Platini, at a press conference on Euro 2016 in Paris.
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