FIFA tsunami hits football world

Sponsors dismayed by FIFA corruption

World Cup sponsor Nike Inc said on Wednesday it was cooperating with authorities after bribery and corruption charges against senior FIFA officials were announced by US prosecutors and arrests were made in Switzerland.

U.S. prosecutors issued an indictment accusing nine officials from soccer's world governing body and five sports media and promotions executives of bribes involving more than $150 million over 24 years.

The indictment also said that in 1996, a global sports company, which was not identified in court documents, agreed to pay $160 million over 10 years to become the Brazil team's exclusive footwear, apparel, accessories, and equipment supplier. That was an apparent reference to Nike Inc, which sponsored the Brazil national team.

The indictment said the company had agreed to financial terms not in the initial contract, which included paying an additional $40 million to an affiliate of the team's marketing agent with a Swiss bank account and referring to the amount as "marketing fees."

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch was asked at a news conference if there was any liability for companies that had won marketing rights and if they were being investigated.

Lynch said she could not comment on specifics of who else was a target or subject of the investigation "except to say that the investigation is continuing and covers all aspects."

She declined to comment when asked if one of the companies was Nike.

German sportswear company Adidas and beverage company Coca-Cola Co called on FIFA to increase transparency and resolve the controversy.

"This lengthy controversy has tarnished the mission and ideals of the FIFA World Cup and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about these serious allegations," Coca Cola said in a statement.

Anheuser-Busch InBev and McDonald's Corp said they were in contact with FIFA and monitoring the situation.

UEFA urges FIFA to postpone presidential election

The FIFA presidential election should be postponed after football's world governing body became embroiled in two corruption storms, the European confederation UEFA said Wednesday.

"UEFA believes that the FIFA Congress should be postponed and that the election for the president should take place within six months," said UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, speaking after UEFA's Executive Committee had held an extraordinary meeting in Warsaw ahead of the Europa League final.

The FIFA congress starts on Thursday and a vote for the president to be held Friday.

Embattled FIFA incumbent Sepp Blatter is due to face just one rival in Friday's election -- Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan.

Infantino, whose boss Michel Platini has been a vocal critic of Blatter's and threw his support behind Prince Ali last week, said the UEFA executive board believed FIFA desperately needs a fresh leadership to be able to embark on reforms.

FIFA tremors rattle Women's World Cup

Women's World Cup officials and sponsors expressed concern over the corruption scandal swirling around world soccer's governing body on Wednesday while trying to keep the focus on the global showcase that kicks off in 10 days across Canada.

Tremors from the arrest in Switzerland of seven of FIFA's most powerful figures on corruption charges reached across the Atlantic, rattling the build-up to the World Cup, but did not shake confidence in the Canadian Soccer Association's ability to stage a successful tournament that begins on June 6 in Edmonton.

"We are extremely disappointed by today's developments and welcome and support all efforts to eliminate this type of behaviour in the sport," the CSA said in a statement.

"As the host nation for the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015, the Canadian Soccer Association is confident that the current situation will not impact the competition.

"We are positive that the 30 days of competition will bring exciting soccer to all fans in Canada and around the world."

Give England 2018 World Cup, urges Lennart Johansson

Lennart Johansson, former president of European football's governing body UEFA, says the decision to award the World Cup to Russia and Qatar must now be reviewed in the light of the latest corruption allegations.

Johansson, who lost the 1998 FIFA presidential election to Sepp Blatter, would like to see the 2018 finals played in England instead of Russia, with a new process also to choose the host of the 2022 tournament, currently set for Qatar.

The Swede spoke to newspaper Sportbladet after an early-morning swoop by police saw seven high-ranking FIFA members arrested on suspicion of corruption.

"I'm not surprised at what is happening," the 85-year-old told Sportbladet as he packed his bags to attend the FIFA congress in Zurich.

"Blatter will obviously ensure that he wins the election in his own way. I think it's unfortunate that the world's biggest sporting movement has such a leader at the top. I really do."

Johansson, who led UEFA for 17 years before retiring in 2007, says that the decision to award the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 should and will be changed.

"I expect they will reconsider the decisions. Blatter himself has said that the decision to go east wasn't proper. I am sure the initiative will now be taken to make a new decision."