SAO PAULO – The good news is that despite late starts and strikes, work on the 12 stadiums being built or renovated for the 2014 World Cup is largely on schedule. The bad news is that they are already three times over budget and are being built with taxpayers’ money despite initial promises that private enterprise would foot...

MANCHESTER, England – FIFA President Sepp Blatter halted a whistle-blowing program designed to help root out match-fixing in soccer before it could even start to work, FIFA’s outgoing head of security said on Wednesday. The plan to grant anonymity and protection to players and officials targeted by illegal gambling groups...

FIFA is putting its entire executive committee on the organizing body of the World Cup after fears about the progress of preparations for Brazil in 2014. “To underline the significance of the FIFA World Cup for world football’s governing body, the complete FIFA Executive Committee is now, for the first time, part of this decision-making...

BRASILIA – Brazil’s sports minister has a message for those who doubt the country will be ready to host the 2014 World Cup – take a look at Rio de Janeiro’s famed annual Carnival celebrations. Every year, Rio’s samba schools seemingly pull off a miracle at the last minute when preparations appear hopelessly behind,...

ISTANBUL – Britain’s automatic and long-established vice-presidency of FIFA is now an anachronism and the time might be right for it to be abolished, said English FA chief executive Alex Horne. He was backed by his counterpart in the Scottish FA, Stewart Regan, who agreed that having an established seat at FIFA’s top...

“A person is not given integrity. It results from the relentless pursuit of honesty at all times.” – Anonymous Perhaps no other referee in history experienced the solo pursuit of honesty that Esse Baharmast faced in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.  He faced global scrutiny for a critical decision that initially portrayed him as a...

CULVER CITY, CA – Over 125 referees attended a special presentation by FIFA dignitary Peter Mikkelsen on July 19, 2010 in Culver City, CA.  Sponsored by SoccerOne (www.soccerone.com) with a generous meeting space, refreshments, and a raffle for referee supplies, the event came on the heels of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa....