FIFA VP says Russia, Qatar World Cups help stem corruption in football

FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani reckons that the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar might be "the best thing that happened in football."

Montagliani, who was elected CONCACAF president in May, reasons that the awarding of the two quadrennial tournaments in 2010 exposed widespread corruption in football.

"I think that was the tipping point for things to happen," he said at the Leaders 16 summit in London, according to BBC Sport.

"If Russia and Qatar had not got these World Cups, would we be in this situation now with an opportunity to clean the game?"

The Canadian businessman's comments follow the arrest and extraditions of several FIFA executives responsible for sullying the sport. Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has since been banned, as well as Montagliani's two CONCACAF predecessors, Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit.

"If England and the U.S. had got the World Cup, maybe we would've had status quo.

"Maybe the best thing that happened in football was Russia and Qatar."

Montagliani also commented on the hot topic in international football, conceding that it's "obvious" that the World Cup would feature more than 32 nations by 2026.

"I think it's going to change," he said. "I think it's an opportunity and I think the president's right to really look at it."

Montagliani also added that he fancies having the World Cup hosted in a CONCACAF country, with the United States last hosting the tournament in 1994.

"We have three countries (United States, Canada, Mexico) who could put a World Cup on on their own," he said. "In terms of a regional (shared) bid, there's an opportunity too."