Exclusive: 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes to go ahead as planned FIFA rule
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By David Owen
October 28 – FIFA has set its face against postponing its votes on either the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup hosts, insideworldfootball has learnt.
World Cup
Exclusive: Sorokin calls for hatchet to be buried before Mutko apologises to England 2018
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By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 28 – Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid leader today called for an end to the war of words with England and urged both nations to bury their differences.
FIFA agonises over splitting dates to decide 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 28 – World football’s governing body is locked in painstaking discussions about whether to split the dates for deciding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts - or postpone the December 2 vote altogether.
Russia describe England World Cup complaint as “absolutely primitive”
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 27 – The verbal spat between England and Russia over their fight for the 2018 World Cup took on yet another twist tonight when England were blasted as being “absolutely primitive” for making a formal complaint to FIFA about their chief rival’s behaviour.
Beckenbauer praises Australia World Cup bid
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 27 – Australia appear to have won the crucial vote of Frank Beckenbauer ahead of their four rivals in the race to stage the 2022 World Cup.
Buckley hopes playing it by the book can secure World Cup for Australia
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 27 – As the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup becomes increasingly embroiled in corruption allegations and tit-for-tat spats, Australia are endeavouring to play it by the book, hoping the strategy ends up working in their favour.
Exclusive: England demands apology over Sorokin comments
By David Owen in Zurich
October 26 – England 2018 has made a formal complaint to FIFA about its arch-rival, the Russian bid.
Exclusive: Zen-Ruffinen admits meeting undercover reporters “a lot of times”
By David Owen in Zurich
October 25 – Michel Zen-Ruffinen (pictured right), the former FIFA general secretary who has emerged as the latest source of explosive allegations in the World Cup bidding race, met the Sunday Times’ undercover reporters “quite a lot of times” over two-and-a-half months, he has told insideworldfootball.
Former FIFA secretary general caught up in corruption scandal
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has spiralled out of control tonight after further dramatic revelations in the Sunday Times that named Spain/Portugal and Qatar as allegedly agreeing to trade block votes and quoted a former FIFA boss as saying he knew the names of officials who were willing to take bribes.
World Cup bidders warned to stay away from disgraced pair
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By Andrew Warshaw
October 22 – Football’s world governing body has ordered the nine contenders bidding to stage the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 not to make contact with the two suspended Executive Committee members while they are under investigation for alleged bribery.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” insists Adamu
By Andrew Warshaw
October 22 – Amos Adamu (pictured), the Nigerian official provisionally suspended by FIFA over bribery allegations, broke his silence today by insisting he had done nothing wrong.
World Cup bid teams impose news blackout over corruption scandal
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By Andrew Warshaw
October 21 – The bid teams of Spain/Portugal and Qatar imposed a total news blackout today as reports named them as the countries being investigated by FIFA as part of the explosive 2018 and 2022 World Cup corruption scandal.
FIFA suspend Executive Committee members in vote for cash scandal
By Andrew Warshaw
October 20 – The two high-ranking FIFA officials at the heart of the World Cup cash-for-votes scandal were sensationally suspended today following allegations of corruption within football’s world governing body.
Remarks about London “wrongly interpreted” says Sorokin
By Andrew Warshaw
October 19 – The head of Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid has sought to distance himself from western press reports quoting him as denigrating aspects of society in England – Russia’s main rivals for 2018 – insisting he was misinterpreted.
Russian World Cup bid chief Sorokin blasts London’s “high crime and alcohol consumption”
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By Andrew Warshaw
October 19 – Russia could be the latest country to face accusations of breaking FIFA’s strict code of ethics in the latest row to undermine bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.