In any economy, and in any nation, whether it is a democracy, monarchy, or a communistic country, it can be devastatingly harmful to have a company hold a monopoly on one industry. It makes it so a certain resource is held hostage over a countless number of people who are looking to obtain a certain demand. Soccer is the only sport in the world where one governing body (FIFA), controls the sport on both a domestic level and an international level. This total control has led to countless infractions and corrupt actions totaling up over hundreds of millions of dollars. Unlike other sports such as baseball, hockey, and basketball, there are no overarching body that controls the domestic leagues, it gives players and fans the option to switch leagues that they follow or play in if they feel like one is morally corrupt. This change in popularity towards the corrupt league could lead them to change their ways for the sake of profit. In a monopoly, there is no pressure to incite change if it means that the ruling entity must take a pay cut. FIFA has made it clear to everyone that they are not ready to change their ways because no matter what they do, they still hold the keys to the sport that so many people think of as a religion. If a monopoly exists for a resource in a small market it can make the supply and demand more efficient than a perfectly competitive market. Trouble starts when the market is so big that there is an infinite demand for the resource of soccer, no matter what time of year, or how bad the corruption charges are, people are so emotionally connected to their club and country teams that they will always watch. With that being said, the most reasonable and effective thing that the international community can do in an effort to take back the sport that they love so much, is to create a system of checks and balances to their organization while holding them accountable to high moral standards and international law.  With the 2018 World Cup taking place in Russia, there is substantial concern for fan and player safety due to the extremes that their national hooligans go to. Racism and hatred could be rampant throughout the tournament. To ensure the protection of fans, players, and the game of soccer in the future, people must step up to FIFA and hold them accountable for their unacceptable and irresponsible actions. There is a major need, now more than ever, for a complete and transparent overhaul of the way FIFA does their business. Executives need to be vetted thoroughly, and consistent and strict international laws and standards must be put into place. These are just a few possible measures that could start to heal the sport and renew trust between the governing body and the millions of fans around the world. Through research of several different types of sources, this paper will prove that FIFA is a corrupt organization who has accepted bribes when chooses tournament locations, let racism and human rights violations go unpunished, left struggling third world countries after the tournament with tanking economies, and that there are measures that can be put in place that will start to undue corruption.

In the most recent world cup selection, the two finalists to host the 2022 world cup were the United States of America and Qatar. In a shocking upset, Qatar ousted the United States and was given the right to host the tournament. Instant scrutiny was raised against FIFA for their decision, all with legitimate claims. How could the World Cup be played in a place that will be over 100 degrees? How safe will players and spectators be to travel there in seven years’ time? Isn’t it irresponsible to pick a location where being gay is illegal and punishable by prison time? These along with countless other points were brought up to challenge how would Qatar be a good place to hold an international tournament. FIFA has recently announced that it plans to play the 2022 World Cup in the winter. This is problematic because the top leagues in the world are in mid-season and it could have dire consequences on the club soccer level (Kate Youd). Decisions like this and many others over the years have been stemming from a deep root of corruption inside of FIFA’s top ranks. A prime example of this is Michel Platini, the man who most thought to be the next FIFA president after the reign of Sepp Blatter. Platini was a former French soccer star and team captain, also a person who earlier hinted at leaning towards voting for the United States. A couple of years back, following the raid of the Zurich headquarters, it was realized that Platini took a “disloyal payment, that he had received from Blatter in 2011 for advisory services a decade earlier” (Dan Roan). This payment gave to him was the equivalent of two million American dollars. The fact that there was no written contact for the payment, and that Swiss law states that any payment due to an employee is void after 5 years of it being due, made the whole dealing dishonest. Besides the payment, the son of Platini runs a Qatar based sports uniform company, many people believed that the French president leaned on him to make the decision, and he refused to give back a watch given to him by the Brazilian Football Confederation, who were the winners of the bid for the 2014 World Cup. Entrenched corruption and dishonesty like that is what is engulfing the top ranks of FIFA and leading them to make poor decisions that put people and the sport at risk every year.  

 If you look at the decision to let Qatar host the World Cup in 2022, there are direct domestic affects that will harm the growth of Major League Soccer (MLS). Most people in the U.S view soccer as being on the outside of one of the major sports, (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey) even though MLS is the fastest growing league in America, it is only in its 21st year and many people here and abroad think of it as a joke. Every four years, when the world cup is being played, MLS receives a bump in interest from people in the country and it directly affects TV ratings, ticket sales, and popularity. A chance for the US to host the World Cup could expedite the growth of the league to new levels and this time sustain it over a long period of time. Not only would it have created revenue, but it would also lead the MLS to be able to attract big name foreign players who could help boost quality of play. However, all of this is for not because of a man named Bin Hammam, the President of the Asian football committee. He threw millions of dollars to voters from Europe and Africa in turn for their votes for Qatar. In one circumstance, he outright blocked a vote for the US. At the time the current voter for the Oceanic Football Confederation was suspended for being caught soliciting bribes. The new member was instructed by the OFC to cast his vote for the U.S but, Hamman visited with the suspended official and “encouraged him to appeal his suspension, during which time the OFC seat would remain vacant and the vote for the USSF gone. Bin Hammam paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal and detective fees for Temarii’s appeal (Vermont Law Journal 47-48). The corruption of officials is negatively effecting the growth and health of the sport in major market locations. The bribery given and received does not benefit the profitability of the sport in the long term and current executives are too greedy and selfish to realize sufficient long term goals. 

One of the terrible things about the situation that FIFA and the world of soccer is in is that just when you think they have done their worst, something else always comes out. In the months following Qatar receiving the bid to host the World Cup, they started to build brand new world class stadiums that will take years to build. Every month Qatar is recruiting immigrant workers to do construction, promising them food, shelter, and a decent wage that they can send home to their family. However, instead of making good on those promises, Qatar is taking he workers passports because they “haven’t paid their recruitment fee” (E:60). Not only that but wages are being withheld, the living quarters are cramped, and the food and water is not up to health standards.  Working conditions are so bad that there is already over 100 workers who have died. A Dutch trade union is attempting to sue Qatar for damages resulted from these working conditions. The hope is that “If the action is successful, it could open the floodgates to hundreds of thousands of migrant workers making similar but more lucrative claims” (Peter Walker). If this is successful, it could be the first step to holding Qatar and FIFA responsible for their actions and could start a precedent for later cases.

One of the biggest problems in the sport of soccer, more so on an international level then in the US, is racism. When you have a sport that is popular in almost every country on earth, there is bound to be tensions because the sad truth is that many people do not like others based only on their religion or skin color. There is usually one story in the news a month about a player having to leave the pitch due to chants or actions by the fans of the opposing team. In the most recent instance, bananas were thrown at a player because of the fact that he is black. A few years back FIFA started an anti-racism task force to try to come up with solutions to the problem, especially due to the fact that Russia some of the most notorious hooligans in the world. These hooligans go to games specifically to cause trouble and will pick apart opposing players or fans on the smallest religious or physical aspects of their lives. Although this task force was created, “FIFA disbands its anti-racism task force saying that the job is done” (The Guardian). This is a very dangerous claim by FIFA. Thousands of people from every corner of the earth are going to these international tournaments to cheer on their country. These visitors could be at risk if FIFA doesn’t put in harsh punishments for any group or country showing hatred through racism at any of their events. One of the most popular theories about how FIFA could do this is a ban for any country who encourages their fans or players to partake in any racists actions or comments.

The past two World Cups have both been played in developing countries (South Africa in 2010 and Brazil in 2014). Many people believe that a big tournament like this would be an advantage to developing nation due to the media exposure and the income that would be drawn in through tourism, but FIFA has policies put into place in order to maximize their profit compared the profit of the host country. One thing to keep in mind is, “The poor governance indicators from most developing countries can compromise the benefits the country would receive from the mega-event” (De Aragao).  If a developing nation has an unstable or relatively new government, it can lead to questionable decisions that could adversely affect the countries in years to come. Sports are one of the biggest businesses in the world. In the United States, in 2015, 88 out of the top 100 most watched TV events were sports related. That being said, soccer is probably the biggest industry when it comes to an individual sport. FIFA, as they should, wants to capitalize on the size and popularity of the market and generate as much revenue as they can. The problem comes when they take advantage of undeveloped countries whose economy is not strong enough to support an event of this size. The stadiums the country will build will be 100 percent paid for by the tax payers. It is one thing is these stadiums would serve a public purpose once the World Cup was over, but most of them stay vacant for years. Years ago, Brazil had a bad reputation of their soccer games becoming violent and unsafe for fan, to counteract that they banned all selling and consumption of alcohol at soccer matched. FIFA, without regard for the countries laws or safety, gave Brazil an ultimatum to undue the law because Bud Light is their biggest sponsor (John Oliver). At the end of the tournament almost no revenue goes to the host country because FIFA pockets whatever funds are made through TV deals, tickets, and concessions.

There is a reason soccer is call “The Beautiful Game”, it is unlike any other contest. The fluidity of the game in combination with the athleticism, mental capacity, and creativity that the players show is shown in no other sport. The word passion does not even being to explain the feelings that the sports players and fans have for the game. It is more of a religion or way of life than anything else. In an article in Forbes Victor Lipman says, “Personally I'm partial to Mike Ozanian’s suggestion on Forbes.com that it's simply time to save the World Cup by breaking up FIFA. Three strikes and you're out. The game itself is far too beautiful. Time to lose the management” (Victor Lipman). Before it was ever a business, it was a game, one that countless kids across the globe play for hours on end just because they love it. What is so critical about stopping the corruption in FIFA in its tracks is that soccer is one of the only things left that connects everyone in the world. Despite the fact that political and religious tensions are higher than ever before, it is truly amazing to see countless number of countries get together to play a game each year. Whether it is the World Cup, the European Championship, Gold Cup, or the Confederations cup, each year we, as a planet, get to come together and focus on something that is not so serious. Many people believe that soccer can be a powerful political force that can help mend fences between people and countries. It is truly despicable that FIFA, going against all moral righteousness and international business practices is tainting the beautiful game in ways such as corruption and human rights violations. There must be a new set of international laws FIFA must obey set up by an impartial judiciary authority. There must be a consistent and clear set of strict rules FIFA must adhere to protect the game. If they fail to do so, the world will be left with no other option than to disband FIFA to weed out the corruption and flaws of corporate management.
