大象传媒

When Qatar was announced as the host of the men's World Cup in 2022, it sent shockwaves around the football world. The small, spectacularly wealthy country, with a tiny population, little existing infrastructure, massive concerns over human rights and labour rights, and summer temperatures of over 40 degrees, seemed an unlikely candidate. That they had nevertheless secured the prestige of a World Cup triggered immense controversy, and an immediate wave of speculation that this would be yet another Fifa scandal, with votes bought and sold.

Within a few years, dozens of Fifa officials, including Sepp Blatter, would become caught up in a scandal that revealed massive corruption across the organisation; many would be indicted, after a dramatic FBI raid in Zurich, and successive investigations would cast huge doubt on the integrity of the bidding process.

Alex Capstick, the 大象传媒 World Service's sport correspondent, has followed this story since that fateful announcement. He takes us inside what really happened when Qatar bid for that World Cup, hearing from insiders and whistleblowers close to the process. He speaks to the US law enforcement insiders whose investigation into a corrupt Fifa official in New York would spiral into a gigantic investigation at every level of the organisation, and sits down for an exclusive interview with Sepp Blatter himself, fresh from beating criminal charges in a Swiss court.

Presenter: Alex Capstick
Producer: Matt O'Donoghue
A Whistledown production for 大象传媒 World Service

(Photo: Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (L) receives the World Cup trophy from Fifa President Joseph Blatter (R) after the official announcement that Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup, 2 December 2010. Credit: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images)