LONDON -- FIFA has suspended the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup, according to its general secretary Jerome Valcke. The news comes amid investigations into the tournaments in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
The bidding was due to begin shortly with a decision on the host nation expected in Kuala Lumpur in May 2017 at the FIFA congress.
Valcke also denied claims he was involved in a $10 million (£6.5 million) payment to a football official relating to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Sky News reports.
Passionate defence of the $10m Caribbean legacy fund by Valcke - "what do you want me to say? I'm being as transparent as i can".— Richard Conway (@richard_conway) June 10, 2015
FIFA has been in turmoil since the multiple arrests of several top executives amid investigations into alleged bribery, fraud and money laundering in May. Its president Sepp Blatter resigned earlier this month.