Russia, Qatar will host World Cups in 2018, 2022, insists FIFA
ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) — FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke yesterday confirmed Russia and Qatar will host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022, respectively, despite the ongoing corruption scandal affecting football’s governing body.
Swiss police made dawn raids in Zurich on Wednesday when seven FIFA officials were arrested on charges of receiving more than US$150 million in bribes.
A separate criminal investigation into how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were allocated has also begun, but Valcke confirmed Russia and Qatar will host the next two finals, as far as FIFA is concerned.
“Yes, when you ask me the question today, the 2018 World Cup will be played in Russia, then in Qatar four years later, from all the information we currently have,” said Valcke.
FIFA has already ruled out a revote, insisting the hosts would not change and “welcomed” the investigations, which Valcke confirmed they had instigated.
“It was FIFA who gave the file to the prosecutors in Switzerland, it was a move we made to make sure if anything wrong has happened during the processes then we will know about it,” said the Frenchman.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who is not among those arrested, was voted in for a fifth term yesterday after his rival Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan withdrew after the first round of voting.
