In 1976 Argentina was experiencing a social crisis, under the regime of the dictator Jorge Rafael Videla. Argentina had the perfect tradicion futbolistica for hosting the World Cup but Suffered from high inflation, growing public debt, and declining industrial output. There was also widespread social unrest, including labor strikes and protests. Additionally, there was a growing terrorist threat from leftist guerrilla groups. These conditions, along with weak democratic institutions and a polarized society, led to the military coup in 1976, which established the dictatorship that lasted until 1981. Nevertheless, FIFA selected Argentina as the host for the ‘78 World Cup.

These charges are not new. FIFA, the governing body of soccer, has been plagued by allegations of corruption for decades. From bribery to embezzlement, the organization has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability. However, not everyone agrees on the extent of corruption within FIFA, and opinions on how to address it vary. 

“The ‘78 World Cup was a remarkable moment in the history of the sport, and politics for the matter. It was an opportunity for FIFA to begin to really spread its wings financially, but also it was an opportunity for FIFA to lay down with perhaps the most despicable kinds of politicians you can imagine,” Ken Bensinger, Journalist, and author of Red Card said in an interview for the “FIFA Uncovered,” a Netflix documentary.

Some have suggested that FIFA may have turned a blind eye to the human rights abuses in Argentina in exchange for hosting the tournament. 

“Sport allows itself to be, essentially, bought by regimes with human rights issues, rather than using its power to take a stance against that. And you could say Argentina wrote the playbook for how to do that.” David Conn, Guardian Journalist, and author of The Fall of the House of FIFA said in the “FIFA Uncovered,” Netflix documentary.

Similar cases happened in 2004 for the election of South Africa and in 2010 for the bidding of 2018 and 2022 where Russia and Qatar won. All these countries were against the odds and rivaled better-prepared hosts like the USA, Morocco, or Japan, yet managed to host the tournament. Why would FIFA choose a country with social and economic issues as the host of the world´s most important sports event?  

Irregularities affected the bidding process of 2010, leading to the arrest of several high-ranking FIFA officials, including former FIFA executive committee members Chuck Blazer, Jack Warner, and Jeffrey Webb, as well as sports marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco and Aaron Davidson. The investigations and trials led by the FBI and Swiss authorities have revealed details of bribery and corruption, including the payment of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to secure the hosting rights to the World Cups. 

Many believe that FIFA is deeply corrupt and that the organization needs to be fundamentally restructured. 

Former Nacional, Medellin, Envigado, Pereira, and Millonarios striker Juan Jairo Galeano Restrepo, better known as JJ Galeano said, “The changes that FIFA has made since 2015 are always favoring their economic interests. They are money-making machines looking for more tournaments, more participants, economic contracts, sponsorships, and regulations.” 

Galeano also emphasized how the organization’s corruption has affected him as a player, coach, and spectator. 

“We were unfairly sanctioned in a Copa Libertadores de América and they forced us to play it outside of Medellín. As a coach, we have received sanctions without justification or evidence. As a spectator, we had to watch the final of the Libertadores cup in 89 in Bogotá, an arbitrary decision of CONMEBOL and FIFA” 

Since the events of May 27, 2015, when the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed a 47-count, 164-page criminal indictment charging seven FIFA executives and the recent release of Netflix’s “FIFA Uncovered” documentary, the average fan has grown increasingly distrustful of the organization. 

“Nowadays in Colombian football, many people feel that many of the games are arranged according to what the press wants,” Pablo Arango, Grade 11, said. 

Qatar’s World Cup has been polemical in the world of football. Some liked it, but others thought there were shady deals done beforehand. 

“FIFA’s profile is still just as dark. Qatar thus demonstrated it. It’s the most absurd and least exciting World Cup I’ve ever seen. I followed it very little compared to previous ones,” Norberto Villa, Grade 10 Spanish Teacher, said.

During the most recent World Cup in Qatar, where many fans refused to watch the games, the former German international Philipp Lahm also questioned the criteria used in awarding a country the privilege to host such events when it is struggling to uphold basic human rights. 

“Human rights should play an important role in the organization of tournaments,” Lahm said in an interview with ‘Kicker’ magazine. “If a country that is doing badly in that area gets the prize, then you have to think about what basis the decision was made on.”

On the other hand, while some believe there may be some issues with corruption in FIFA, the organization is not inherently corrupt. While emphasizing that FIFA has used the sport for malevolent purposes, David Conn, Guardian Journalist, and author of The Fall of the House of FIFA has acknowledged that FIFA is looking for a more transparent future 

“Because it’s really clear that football can be abused, and exploited,” Conn said in episode 4 of Netflix’s “FIFA Uncovered,” documentary. He later added, “As far as we know, the kind of institutionalized corruption in FIFA has been exorcised”

Former Nacional player Galeano believes that after the suspension of Blatter and the selection of Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino as the new FIFA president in February 2016, there have been some positive developments in FIFA´s policies. 

“Infantino arrived and there is a notable improvement in the new management of the line. For example, there are more investments in countries with more low resources, there is more protection for the rights of the player and the coaches, there is more participation of teams for the World Cups, etc.“

According to a study by Transparency International, FIFA has improved its governance and transparency in recent years. They found that FIFA has made progress in areas such as conflict of interest, political interference, and integrity of its decision-making processes. 

“FIFA is much more than the sum of its parts. The organization has faced challenges and scandals, but it is also responsible for promoting and developing the sport of football in a positive and meaningful way,” Sunil Gulati, former US Soccer Federation President said in a CNN interview.

The debate over the extent of corruption in FIFA is ongoing. While some individuals believe that FIFA is deeply corrupt and in need of fundamental reform, others believe that the organization is not widely corrupt. However, one clear thing is that FIFA must take steps to improve its transparency and accountability to regain the trust of the public. This is an organization that can only continue to exist as long as honest, capable, and serious people lead it. Whether this can be achieved through fundamental restructuring or better management remains to be seen.