FIFA is going into "exile"

Shaken by legal issues in recent years, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is shifting its focus towards warmer and quieter footballing horizons. Currently, some offices are being relocated, but the trends are becoming increasingly clear. FIFA is preparing to move over 100 positions from its employee roster, including its legal department, from its historic headquarters in Zurich to the United States, specifically Miami, Florida, as reported by a well-informed source cited by AFP. The governing body of the beautiful game has already transferred some positions from its Paris headquarters and recently opened offices in Miami to assist in organizing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. "FIFA is a global governing body, and certain departments have been informed about a plan to move to a new permanent headquarters in Miami," said a FIFA spokesperson, confirming this information partially. "This aligns with the global vision of an organization that has 211 member associations. Our new offices in Miami and Singapore join our offices in Paris and regional development offices around the world. FIFA's headquarters remain in Zurich," added the spokesperson for the global football forum. The legal department, in particular, is expected to be relocated to Miami, according to the same source. The city in Florida appears strategic due to its proximity to the 41 member associations of CONCACAF, covering North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, as well as its connections to South America. In addition to the 2026 World Cup, the United States will host the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. The International Football Federation was established in 1904 in Paris before moving to Zurich in 1932, becoming its main headquarters in 2007.

In May 2015, the American justice system indicted 14 individuals, including two FIFA vice presidents and seven officials of the organization, on charges of bribery and receiving other benefits, with an initial estimate of around $150 million. In December 2015, Swiss authorities arrested another 12 individuals in Zurich in the same corruption case. On October 7, 2015, Joseph Blatter (then-interim FIFA president), Jerome Valcke (FIFA secretary-general), and Michel Platini (FIFA vice president and UEFA president) were suspended for 90 days by a FIFA committee, with the possibility of an additional 45-day extension. In December 2015, Joseph Blatter and Michel Platini were suspended for eight years from involvement in sports by UEFA's Ethics Committee. In February 2016, the Appeals Committee upheld their suspensions, finding them guilty of violating four articles of the ethical code, but they received a reduction in their sentence from eight to six years for their "overall activities." Following this scandal, Gianni Infantino, an Italian, took over the helm of FIFA, while UEFA is led by Slovenian Alexander Ceferin, but the investigations have not ceased.