FIFA Puts 2026 World Cup Bidding Process On Hold

FIFA has placed the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup on hold in the wake of recent corruption allegations.

In a statement released Wednesday, FIFA said that further administrative decisions regarding bidding will be resumed “at a later date.”

FIFA had plans to outline a schedule for the bidding process this week. However, the May 27 indictment of 14 individuals on FIFA-related corruption charges, the June 2 resignation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, and the ongoing investigation into the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups — controversially awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively — have forced the Zurich-based organization to reevaluate.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, who was not named in the May 27 U.S. indictment but has faced suspicion over a $10 million payment made in relation to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, told the BBC that it would be “nonsense” to begin a bidding process under current circumstances. FIFA has denied that Valcke authorized the payment.

Voting to determine the host of the 2026 World Cup is slated to take place May 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.