The arrest of seven top FIFA officials and the indictment of a group of 14 on corruption charges has left many people stunned. But those paying close attention to world football over the years have been wondering why it has taken so long to topple FIFA’s house of cards.
Research has exposed corrupt practices within FIFA going back to the 1990s. In Europe, where the game dominates, little to no action has been taken. It took interest from the United States, where football is still only emerging as a popular sport, for arrests to be made.
Despite all its merits, sport has, in recent years, become more and more enmeshed in a global system based on growth and inequality at the expense of social and economic justice. A good example of this is the 2014 World Cup venue in Manaus, deep in the Amazon, which is now Brazil’s largest bird toilet.
Not on Our Watch
While the culture that has developed inside the corridors of footballing power has attracted the most attention in the FIFA case, what this particular situation demonstrates is the growing significance of football (or soccer) in the United States and the increasing influence of U.S. interests in the global game.
British clubs Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal, among others, now have American owners and investors. American corporations such as Nike, Visa, and Coca Cola are major sponsors of FIFA and other football organizations.
But many more companies and interests want to profit from the international football marketplace. And some try to do it by what the American legal system views as illegitimate means.
As the largest single sports marketplace and a dominant regional power, the United States is positioned to play a significant role in global football in the 21st century.
