Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

  1. Culture
  2. Sport
27 May 2015

Fifa thrown into turmoil as seven officials arrested

Football's governing body has been thrown into chaos by two anti-corruption inquiries.

By New Statesman

Football’s world governing body Fifa has been thrown into crisis after the controversial body was hit by two corruption inquiries in the space of 24 hours.

Seven Fifa officials have been arrested in Zurich at the request of US authorities, with a further seven indicted on corruption charges. Meanwhile, Swiss police have opened an investigation into the award of the 2018 and 2022 to Russia and Qatar. Although Sepp Blatter, Fifa’s much-maligned President, is not among those arrested, Jeffrey Webb, a Fifa vice-president who was widely tipped as Blatter’s chosen successor, is among those charged.

Read our editor Jason Cowley’s essay on corruption and the World Cup here.

Content from our partners
The public sector's rocky-road to innovation
Meeting missions. Creating jobs. Building careers.
The UK's housing crisis is about quality and sustainability, not just numbers

Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month