FIFA's most serious crisis erupted with a police raid at its 2015 annual general meeting, and nine years later, this week saw the 211 member international football federations converge on Thailand and the resulting anti-corruption reforms. Some of them are now in retreat.
During a three-day conference starting Wednesday in Bangkok, international football governance standards are aimed at distracting from key decisions in women's football, including the selection of the 2027 World Cup, with FIFA urging member countries to They are calling for greater efforts to tackle racism in stadiums.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is also scheduled to hold his first press conference with international media on Friday since Saudi Arabia was effectively confirmed as the host of the 2034 Men's World Cup in October last year.
Infantino should get approval for his move to reinstate the pre-2015 anarchic committee at the annual general meeting on Friday, which would allow the world to vote in the FIFA presidential election every four years. There will be an option to give hundreds of cost-bearing positions to football officials in China. .
The 47-member Asian Football Confederation on Thursday said it plans to remove term limits for senior officials, including Bahrain president Sheikh Salman, who would otherwise be forced to step down after 14 years in power in 2027. become.
FIFA and its continental body are now showing they are less bound by the reform principles set out in 2015 as key to repairing the reputational crisis in soccer's leadership.
The seven highest elected officials in FIFA's organization, Infantino and the presidents of each of soccer's six continents, have all been in power since 2013 because their predecessors have been implicated in corruption allegations. This is because he was ousted, indicted, or resigned.
Also on Friday, FIFA must give itself the power to select two future hosts of the Men's World Cup on the same day later this year. This reflects a vote on December 2, 2010, which made Russia and Qatar the host countries for 2018 and 2022.
There was no voting or elimination contest this year, with a murky arrangement whereby FIFA announced its single preferred candidate for each of the 2030 and 2034 competitions last October.
The Spain-Portugal-Morocco joint hosting plan for 2030 gives Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay one match each, paving the way for Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 Games without opposition.
Voting is expected to take place on Friday for the 2027 Women's World Cup, with Brazil strongly favored over a joint European bid by neighboring countries Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
A joint U.S.-Mexico bid was withdrawn several weeks ago to focus on the 2031 host vote, scheduled for next year. Waiting another four years makes sense, as the same two countries will join Canada in hosting the first men's World Cup in 2026, with 48 teams and 104 matches.
Women's football has also long been promised a Club World Cup, which could be confirmed at a meeting of the 37-member FIFA council chaired by Infantino on Wednesday. The women are likely to use the same Club World Cup format as the men, with a large tournament held every four years and smaller annual competitions reserved for continental champions.
The development of women's football and the “prohibition of all forms of discrimination” were key objectives of the reform commission created during the 2015 crisis.
The commission's role was to advise FIFA on structural reforms and cultural changes to restore the trust and confidence of its fans and commercial partners. The 15 members also included Infantino and Victor Montagliani, currently vice president of FIFA and president of North American soccer organization CONCACAF.
The committee's consultation document, which included a 12-year term limit for the president and the creation of nine standing committees to improve efficiency, was widely voted on and adopted as the FIFA Statutes. Infantino's current term is 15 years, until 2031, and FIFA is preparing to establish more ad hoc committees in addition to its 35 committees.
Friday's parliament will also hear a proposal by the Palestinian federation for FIFA to take action against Israeli soccer.
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