Fifa president Sepp Blatter has announced that World Cup host countries will in future be chosen by a vote of all the 208 member associations.

Until now, Fifa’s 24-man executive committee has made the choice.
But the controversy surrounding the decision to award Russia the 2018 tournament and Qatar the 2022 event has prompted a change.

“I want to give more power to the national associations,” said Blatter, who was re-elected on Wednesday.

“In the future, the World Cup will be decided by the Fifa congress. The executive committee will create a shortlist – but will make no recommendations, only a list – and the congress will decide on the venue.”

A frenetic week of claim and counter-claim has seen Fifa’s reputation seriously damaged.
But Blatter insists that any problems can be solved in-house and with him in charge.

“The Fifa ship is in troubled waters but this ship must be brought back on the right track,” he added.
“I am the captain of the ship. It is therefore my duty and responsibility to see to it that we get back on track.

“Reforms will be made and not just touch-ups but radical decisions. We have made mistakes, but we will draw our conclusions.
“We have been hit and I personally have been slapped. I don’t want that ever again.

“We must stop once and for all, all these ugly criticisms, allegations, insinuations of cheating left, right and centre.”
Blatter, who has been in office since 1998, made an appeal for unity after a bruising period of public division.

“I hope that you will follow the path that I’m trying to change on this ship,” added Blattter.
“We must know where we’re going with our game to build a better future.

“Together we can do it, together we will get there, and together Fifa will once again find its credibility.”

Blatter also said the chairman of the ethics committee – the watchdog group set up in 2006 to deal with claims of malpractice in Fifa – would in future also be elected by congress and suggested a committee would be set up to examine Fifa’s corporate governance.

The 75-year-old was the only candidate in the presidential vote after his sole challenger, Mohamed Bin Hammam, withdrew from the contest last weekend.

Blatter re-elected

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been voted in for a fourth term in office.

The 75-year-old Swiss was the only candidate in Wednesday’s election, with the English and Scottish Football Associations failing to delay the vote.

They wanted a postponement amid allegations of corruption within Fifa, but were only supported by 17 of the member associations.
English FA chairman David Bernstein put the proposal to Fifa’s congress but 172 of 206 voters opted against a delay.

Blatter was unopposed because his rival Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Federation, pulled out after being suspended over bribery allegations.

The English and Scottish FAs needed three-quarters of Fifa’s congress to back their proposal but received little support, with Wales and Northern Ireland both choosing not back a delay.

Fifa senior vice-president Julio Grondona, alos president of the Argentina FA, delivered a stinging riposte to his English counterparts.
“We always have attacks from England which are mostly lies with the support of journalism which is more busy lying than telling the truth,” said the Argentine. “This upsets and disturbs the Fifa family.

“It looks like England is always complaining so please I say will you leave the Fifa family alone, and when you speak, speak with truth.”

But Bernstein later released a statement which defended the FA’s stance and said they were encouraged by the support they received from other member associations as well as Blatter’s speech which followed on from Bernstein’s in which he promised to implement changes.

“After hearing the speech from Sepp Blatter, we believe the calls we have made for greater transparency and better governance have been worthwhile,” said Bernstein.

“While we did not succeed in deferring the presidential election, it was positive to be joined by 16 other nations in supporting our democratic request for the vote to be delayed, while a further 17 nations abstaining clearly shows that we are not alone or isolated in our views in relation to the current situation Fifa finds itself in. “

The FA had announced before the congress that it would be abstaining from the presidential vote and, even though their actions unsettled many Fifa members, they did receive the backing of the UK government.

“We agree with the FA that Fifa should have suspended the presidential election until the investigations had been completed,” said a spokesman for Downing Street.

“The most important thing is for the public to have confidence in Fifa and for that to happen we need to have Fifa reform.”
Blatter, who has held his post since 1998, has promised to implement changes at Fifa in the wake of the allegations of corruption as he told the congress he was determined to guide the organisation out of its current troubles.

“We have been hit and I personally have been slapped,” said the Swiss, who continues to receive plenty of support despite the controversy which has surrounded Fifa.

“We have made mistakes and we will learn from this. I can say to a certain extent that this is a good warning, not just to look into our problems and I am willing to face the public anger in order to serve football.

“I am the captain weathering the storm, this is a difficult period for Fifa and I admit that readily. Not only is the pyramid shaking but our ship has drawn some water.

“We need someone who will accept this responsibility. I’m willing to do this. And reforms will be made not just touch-ups but radical decisions, the necessary reforms.

“We must do something because I do not want ever again that we face this undignified situation.”

Originaly presidential candidate Bin Hammam, along with Concacaf president Jack Warner, was provisionally suspended by Fifa’s ethics committee over allegations that financial incentives were offered to Caribbean Football Union (CFU) members. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

Bin Hammam has appealed against his ban but was denied entry into the Fifa congress meeting on Wednesday.
The controversy over his withdrawal resulted in the English and Scottish FA’s action, with allegations of bribery concerning the World Cup bidding process also undermining Fifa.

Major sponsors expressed their concern over the damage being done by these allegations, while the president of the German Football Federation, Theo Zwanziger, has called upon the organisation to re-examine the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.