*By Michael Teich*
FIFA, the organization that runs world soccer, can move past its shady history of bribery and corruption when its members vote Wednesday on which country will host the 2026 World Cup, said Buzzfeed investigative reporter Ken Bensinger.
The finalists include Morocco, which would be only the second African country to host international soccer's quadrennial championship, and a united North American bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“It will be a massive test for FIFA,” said Bensinger, author of Red Card: How the U.S Blew the Whistle on the World's Biggest Sports Scandal. “It’s pretty obvious that the U.S is the choice. If FIFA selects Morocco, we might have a stinking sensation that things might not be cleaned up yet.”
The vote, to take place on the eve of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, will be the first under new rules established after the soccer world was rocked three years ago when U.S. investigators revealed generations of FIFA executives were involved in bribery schemes spanning decades.
Since the scandal, Bensinger said, FIFA has taken promising steps toward fixing its problems and improving its reputation, including adding women to the executive board for the first time and becoming more transparent about its voting procedures. This is the first time the World Cup will be awarded by a vote of all member organizations, not a small cadre of FIFA executives.
“Sports leagues that are transparent, not only do they avoid the scandal, but they also make more money,” Bensinger said. “Being transparent, being capitalist is good for the sport and good for its stakeholders, the fans, for everybody.”
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/world-cup-vote-may-signal-how-much-fifas-changed).
For NFL player Ahman Green, 2003 was a year for the record books: He set the Green Bay Packers franchise record for rushing yards and touchdowns, and became the first and only player in NFL history to record at least 1,850 rushing yards, average 5.0 yards per carry, score 20 touchdowns, and catch 50 passes in a single season.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, Nov. 28. 2018.
Fortnite's Winter Royale is an Epic failure, Astralis secures yet another CS:GO championship, and the best Cyber Monday deals around. Featuring esports journalist Rod 'Slasher' Breslau and Team Liquid and HTC Esports designer Jason Pun.
Since a Supreme Court ruling in May, seven states have legalized sports betting ー and Adam Small, the CEO of gambling magazine USBets thinks Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana may be next.
George Steinbrenner IV, the son of the New York Yankees co-chairman and grandson of the famous Yankee owner, told Cheddar how he wants to take the family business of winning to the race track.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018.
MLG co-founder Mike Sepso takes a seat at the podcast table for a discussion on the lazy summer that inspired MLG.
On today's show: the collapse of the H1Z1 Pro League, the announcement of the "League of Legends" European Championship, and "Fortnite"'s first open cash-prize tournament in the Winter Royale ー plus, PlayVS announces $30 million in funding. Featuring CEO of PlayVS Delane Parnell and DreamHack Global FGC Director Alex Jebailey.
Discussion of Smash Summit 7, Dreamhack Atlanta 2018, Red Bull Conquest, and Chris Pratt's Fortnite ads in Korea.
Featuring former NFL running back Ahman Green, Kelsey Moser, Amanda Stevens, and NYXL Product Dev Manager Samira Behrouzan
PUBG announces their global league for 2019, Red Dead Redemption 2 releases, and Riot faces down a lawsuit for workplace discrimination. Featuring Guy Blaze, ESL brand partnerships SVP Paul Brewer, and CEO of Electronic Gaming Federation Tyler Schrodt.
