Football’s match of the century: FBI v Fifa
Fifa Uncovered Netflix
Are you all set for the football extravaganza later today? Me neither!
The World Cup is set to kick off, somewhat inexplicably, in Middle Eastern oil state Qatar later on today. Except it’s not really inexplicable, is it?
Netflix’s Fifa Uncovered is a timely look at an organisation that is, according to this series, the biggest business on the planet.
In 2015, the FBI raided Fifa offices and subjected officials to a series of corruption charges which they usually reserve for New Jersey Mafia dons.
Fifa Uncovered treats this potential impropriety as a stunning moment but in reality those with a vague knowledge of football generally had the same reaction as when Scotland records a disappointing result in a World Cup qualifier: well, of course.
As an organisation Fifa has been a carve up for a few decades and, if it really is a business, then it’s the same as any other large corporation around the globe. Those at the top generally fill their pockets regardless of success.
Smaller countries laugh at the United States and the United Kingdom when our collective monocles pop out at stitch-ups in organisations like Fifa.
It is, to many of them, the way the world works.
Fifa were targeted by the FBI after the US bid was rejected in favour of Qatar’s: perhaps they’re not wrong?