FIFA Suspends Bidding Process for 2026 World Cup

The bidding process for the 2026 football World Cup will be postponed, FIFA's Secretary-General Jerome Valcke has said.
"Due to the situation, I think it's nonsense to start any bidding process for the time being. It will be postponed," Valcke told a news conference in the Russian city of Samara on Wednesday.The FBI and Swiss authorites are currently investigating the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups that were awarded to Russia and Qatar.
"It was decided to place the administrative process on hold for the 2026 FIFA World Cup bidding due to the current situation," read a FIFA statement.
"Further decisions regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup bidding process will discussed by the FIFA Executive Committee at a later date," it added.
FIFA is currently in the middle of the biggest scandal to have engulfed football's governing body.
Nine high-ranking FIFA officials - including a vice president - were arrested in Zurichjust two days before the Congress elected Sepp Blatter as president for a fifth term.
Blatter, however, announced four days later that he will step down from the postfollowing an 'extraordinary meeting of the Congress' later this year that will elect his successor.