Fifa suspend 2026 World Cup bidding process amid scandal

Fifa's secretary general Jerome Valcke has told a news conference in Russia that details on the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup, which were due to be announced this week, have been postponed.

He also defended FIFA's handling of the 10million US dollar payment to a Caribbean Football Union account controlled by Jack Warner, the former FIFA vice-president whose deputy Chuck Blazer has pleaded guilty in court of taking some of the money as a bribe to vote for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup.

The payment followed a 2008 letter from the South African Football Association (SAFA) to Valcke asking for the money to be deducted for the World Cup budget and sent as a legacy programme to be administered by Warner.

Valcke told the news conference: “It was not FIFA’s money, it was a request from official South African authorities and SAFA. As long as it is in line with rules we do it.

“I don’t understand what’s the problem and why I am such a target in this question.

“You [the media] have decided that after Blatter I am the head to be cut, fine, but don’t say it is because of this 10million dollars.”

Despite the ongoing crisis, FIFA is pushing ahead with preparations for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Valcke said after today's meeting: "Overall the preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Cup as well as our first major event, the preliminary draw, are well under way and on schedule."

Russia 2018 local organising committee chairman Vitaly Mutko said: "Here, in Samara, we made certain again that Russia is ready to present the wonderful gift to the rest of the World — 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“So as St. Petersburg, one of the beautiful cities of Russia, is ready to host the first official event of 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Preliminary Draw.

“We as a host country continue to fulfil our obligations to prepare all the events and projects of 2018 FIFA World Cup in time, we are well on track and on schedule.

“There’s no doubt all the events of 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia will go through at top level.”