Top 10 World Cup Hosting Controversies

Argentina's military junta, which seized power in 1976, used the 1978 World Cup as a legitimacy exercise while simultaneously running secret detention camps where thousands were tortured and murdered. Argentina's 6-0 win over Peru — which put them through at Brazil's expense — has been subject to match-fixing allegations ever since, with witnesses claiming Peru's government received grain shipments and political prisoners in exchange.

Subsequent FBI investigations revealed widespread bribery in the bidding process for multiple World Cups. South Africa's legitimate bid was surrounded by allegations of vote-buying that damaged FIFA's credibility.

Russia's World Cup proceeded amid sanctions, doping bans, and international tensions following the annexation of Crimea. Questions about how Russia won the bid were later raised in FIFA corruption investigations.

Chuck Blazer, former CONCACAF Secretary General, later confessed to the FBI that he accepted bribes connected to the 1994 World Cup hosting vote — the first dominoes in a scandal that led to the 2015 indictment of 14 FIFA officials and the collapse of Sepp Blatter's presidency. The US hosted a successful tournament drawing a record 3.6 million fans, making FIFA's parallel corruption all the more cynical.

Brazilians took to the streets protesting the estimated $15 billion cost of hosting while public services suffered. "FIFA Go Home" became a rallying cry as stadiums built for the tournament sat underused afterward.

Germany won the 2006 hosting vote 12-11 after New Zealand's Charlie Dempsey abstained on the way to cast his ballot. Years later it emerged that German officials paid 6.7 million euros into a FIFA slush fund ahead of the vote, tarnishing memories of a tournament widely praised as a landmark in German national identity. The DFB denied wrongdoing; criminal investigations ran until 2021 without convictions.

Several South American nations boycotted the 1934 World Cup in protest at FIFA's decision to host in Mussolini's Italy. The political nature of the selection process raised early concerns about the tournament's independence.

The 1998 World Cup was marred by violent clashes between English and German fans, and serious incidents involving Tunisian and Moroccan supporters. Security failures led to widespread criticism of French authorities.

Historical animosity between Japan and South Korea complicated co-hosting logistics at every level. Disagreements over which nation would host the final were intense, with political interference in tournament organization.

Argentina's military junta, which seized power in 1976, used the 1978 World Cup as a legitimacy exercise while simultaneously running secret detention camps where thousands were tortured and murdered. Argentina's 6-0 win over Peru — which put them through at Brazil's expense — has been subject to match-fixing allegations ever since, with witnesses claiming Peru's government received grain shipments and political prisoners in exchange.

Subsequent FBI investigations revealed widespread bribery in the bidding process for multiple World Cups. South Africa's legitimate bid was surrounded by allegations of vote-buying that damaged FIFA's credibility.

Russia's World Cup proceeded amid sanctions, doping bans, and international tensions following the annexation of Crimea. Questions about how Russia won the bid were later raised in FIFA corruption investigations.

Chuck Blazer, former CONCACAF Secretary General, later confessed to the FBI that he accepted bribes connected to the 1994 World Cup hosting vote — the first dominoes in a scandal that led to the 2015 indictment of 14 FIFA officials and the collapse of Sepp Blatter's presidency. The US hosted a successful tournament drawing a record 3.6 million fans, making FIFA's parallel corruption all the more cynical.

Brazilians took to the streets protesting the estimated $15 billion cost of hosting while public services suffered. "FIFA Go Home" became a rallying cry as stadiums built for the tournament sat underused afterward.

Germany won the 2006 hosting vote 12-11 after New Zealand's Charlie Dempsey abstained on the way to cast his ballot. Years later it emerged that German officials paid 6.7 million euros into a FIFA slush fund ahead of the vote, tarnishing memories of a tournament widely praised as a landmark in German national identity. The DFB denied wrongdoing; criminal investigations ran until 2021 without convictions.

Several South American nations boycotted the 1934 World Cup in protest at FIFA's decision to host in Mussolini's Italy. The political nature of the selection process raised early concerns about the tournament's independence.

The 1998 World Cup was marred by violent clashes between English and German fans, and serious incidents involving Tunisian and Moroccan supporters. Security failures led to widespread criticism of French authorities.

Historical animosity between Japan and South Korea complicated co-hosting logistics at every level. Disagreements over which nation would host the final were intense, with political interference in tournament organization.