By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson
November 18 – In another dramatic twist in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup investigation into possible corruption in the bidding process, FIFA has lodged a criminal complaint against a number of individuals (“persons”) with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland in Berne.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 18 – Two whistleblowers who provided potentially incriminatory evidence to the FIFA World Cup anti-corruption probe are furious that their cover has been effectively blown and have both registered a formal complaint against FIFA ethics judge Hans Joachim Eckert.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 18 – The two FIFA ethics chiefs at the centre of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding investigation have agreed to meet face-to-face on Thursday to try and agree over what should and shouldn’t be published and resolve their untimely dispute that has heaped embarrassment on world football’s governing body.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 17 – As the fallout from the much-criticised summary of Michael Garcia’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup investigation report shows no sign of abating, the president of the German Football League (DFL) has entered the debate by suggesting UEFA could leave FIFA unless Garcia’s entire file is published in full.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 14 – FIFA’s ethics judge Hans Joachim Eckert says he is “surprised” by public criticism from Michael Garcia’s over the way he summarised Garcia’s report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 14 – Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisers insist they were right to be exonerated from any corruption allegations as reaction continues to pour in, most of it negative, following the controversial summary of Michael Garcia’s report into the entire bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 13 – If FIFA had hoped that today’s publication of the summary of Michael Garcia’s report into possible corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process would bring some closure, the whole investigation was immediately plunged back into confusion and intrigue when Garcia himself incredibly claimed his evidence had been misrepresented and that he was not happy with the findings.
By Paul Nicholson
November 13 – Perhaps the real winner of the report on the inquiry into the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process is FIFA itself and its president Sepp Blatter, who will be standing for a fifth term as president next year.
By Paul Nicholson
November 13 – While the inquiry into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process clears all the bidders of any wrongdoing that affected the outcome of the December 2012 vote, it is likely that there will be individual casualties as a result of the investigation.
By Paul Nicholson
November 13 – The 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be played in Russia and Qatar, as originally voted for by FIFA’s executive committee on December 2, 2010. The inquiry into the FIFA World Cup Bidding process has found no smoking guns, no bags of cash under tables or even in safety deposit boxes, and no evidence of root and branch corruption that would warrant removal of the biggest event in world sport from the current mandated host countries.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 12 – As FIFA prepares to reveal partial conclusions of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid investigation, a Spanish newspaper claims Qatar will not be unduly compromised and that the finger is more likely to be pointed in the direction of Russia and England.
November 10 – Footballing experts from across the world who will advise FIFA over future implementation of any changes to the laws of the game will be officially announced at this month’s annual business meeting (ABM) of the International Football Association Board in Belfast.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – Sri Lanka’s former FIFA executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando, once regarded in some quarters as the footballing Godfather of South Asia, will have his Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal against being banned by FIFA for alleged corruption heard next week.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
November 7 – Harold Mayne-Nicholls, the former Chilean FA president who announced last month that he was considering taking on Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency, says he will make a final decision in the New Year even though Blatter is odds-on favourite to clinch a fifth term next May.
By Ben Nicholson
November 6 – Following the tragic death of Peter Biaksangzuala, who suffered spinal injuries that proved to be fatal after celebrating a goal by attempting a back somersault, FIFA has moved to rid the game of somersaulting celebrations altogether.