Ben Affleck will produce an upcoming film about FIFA, the scandalized soccer organization rocked by corruption.
The film will be based on Houses of Deceit, a book by BuzzFeed reporter Ken Bensinger about Chuck Blazer, an ex-FIFA executive committee member who played a major role in the organization's unraveling.
On May 27, the U.S. government shocked the soccer world when it charged many high-ranking FIFA officials with corruption. At least 14 high-ranking FIFA officials were named on allegations of racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering.
[seealso slug="finding-your-roots-ben-affleck"]
So I'm going to write a book. Working title: Houses of Deceit. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Topic: FIFA corruption. This is not a test.— Ken Bensinger (@kenbensinger) June 25, 2015
In 2011, Blazer went undercover for the U.S. government, aiding prosecutors investigating FIFA's corruption. He told a U.S. federal judge that FIFA accepted bribes when voting on which countries would host the 1998 and 2010 World Cup. (The games went to France and South Africa, respectively.) Current bidding for the 2026 World Cup has been suspended.
Director Gavin O'Connor will helm the film. He recently wrapped the storied Jane Got a Gun and The Accountant, which stars Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick.
Stars for the FIFA film have yet to be announced.