Soccer is the world’s game for a reason. It’s fast, ferocious, intense nature attracts millions to watch and play.

However, there are some inherent problems with soccer which threaten to tarnish the experiences of those who love the sport.

The malignant parasite that is FIFA and the subsequent corruption scandals have left a sour taste in the mouths of fans and neutrals alike. While many will feel that justice has been served to those responsible, questions as to why it took so long, and why it was allowed to take place at all still remain.

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Unfortunately, corruption has not been nullified, with world cups in Russia and Qatar looming as a reminder of that. FIFA has managed to turn the game that brings people together on its head, tearing families apart and destroying lives.

You may feel this is a touch hyperbolic, but it isn’t. It is estimated that nearly 1,200 workers have died in Qatar building facilities for the 2022 World Cup, and it’s still seven years away! What’s more, temperatures in Qatar can exceed 50 degrees celsius, presenting a massive health risk to the players involved.

Even if the competition is moved to winter, it will interfere with the domestic competitions, presenting a huge financial threat.

The economic condition Brazil has been left in after the most recent world cup demonstrates the greed of FIFA, as a nation on the brink of upheaval during the world cup was left to fend for itself, drained of resources and credibility.

I could reel off scandal after scandal involving FIFA, from Jack Warner bribes, to Sepp Blatter’s preference for women playing in very short shorts.

However it is how this has been allowed to transpire that really beggars belief.



There is no group that has the responsibility of holding FIFA accountable. The FIFA governing body has a divine monopoly over the footballing world.

Yes, sure there are individual footballing associations such as the FFA or UEFA, but how much power do these individual organisations exert on the global stage?

The fact that Europe, the major powerhouse in world football, can openly oppose Sepp Blatter at the last presidential election and be comprehensibly overruled demonstrates inefficiencies in itself.

What football’s governing body needs is a series of checks and balances. Imagine a nation such as Australia or America operating without a court system to keep the government of the day in check?

How would the government say the country they led adhered to democratic process? They wouldn’t because they couldn’t.

Separation of powers is an essential aspect for any functioning democracy, and therefore it must be applied to FIFA. A set of rules, laws and procedures, agreed to by the wider footballing community, could be enforced by an external judiciary/tribunal system.

This would go some way to eradicating back room deals on shaky grounds, such as handing a world cup to a country with an appalling human rights record.

The FIFA scandals have touched all areas of soccer and actually threatens to destabilise future international competitions. The global community must work together to find a solution to this mess, and an external, independent judiciary would make a good start.



Stay tuned for part two in the series – the Transfer Market.