American soccer fans were shocked and disappointed when FIFA chose Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup over the United States in December, but sources say that decision may not be final just yet.
It has recently been reported that Mohammed Bin Hammam, the head of the Asian Football Confederation and a native of Qatar, offered "financial incentives" — bribes — in exchange for votes for his home country to host the World Cup.
Bin Hammam has been suspended, and newly re-elected FIFA president Sepp Blatter will reportedly sanction an investigation into whether Qatar's win was legitimate. If Qatar is disqualified from hosting the Cup, the U.S. will likely become the new frontrunner.
Qatar has been criticized as a poor choice to host the World Cup on many grounds, including the country's size (it is smaller than the state of Connecticut), extreme heat (the average summer temperature is over 100 degrees) and laws that prohibit drinking alcohol in public.
