A US senator has said comparing corruption within Fifa to the mafia would be insulting to the mafia.

Chuck Blazer was banned for life by Fifa’s ethics committee for widespread corruption, finally ending the career of the long-time most senior American in world football.

Irish football chiefs are taking legal advice over claims that Republic of Ireland players were paid $10,000 (€8,900) each not to tackle Argentina star Lionel Messi during a 2010 friendly.

Former Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer agreed to act undercover for US prosecutors and has been co-operating since at least 2011 in the government’s investigation of football corruption.

A new report from the ESRI says the majority of jobseekers would be better off financially in employment, A review of the post office network has found it can survive if it diversifies, Jeb Bush officially launched his campaign for the White House this morning and Ed Sheeran gave a fan a huge surprise. These are some of the latest and most read news stories on irishexaminer.com this morning.

FIFA has handed over a second batch of computer data to the Swiss attorney general’s office, which is investigating the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Fifa has postponed the announcement of the the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup, due to the corruption crisis that has engulfed the organisation.

The $10m sent from FIFA to Jack Warner never appeared in the annual accounts of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and nor did FIFA track the money to ensure it had been invested correctly, it can be disclosed.

Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales should be on their guard against any threat to strip the home nations of their separate status, senior figures have warned.

Jack Warner’s legal battle against extradition to the United States on corruption charges could ’possibly last years’ and even end up being heard by the Privy Council, the Attorney General of Trinidad has said.

The head of Fifa’s audit and compliance committee has reportedly claimed Russia and Qatar could lose the right to host the World Cup if evidence emerges of bribery in the bidding processes.

A defiant departing FIFA president Sepp Blatter is continuing to press forward with his plans for reform within the damaged organisation despite calls for him to have no further involvement.

Fifa whistleblower Chuck Blazer has said he and others took bribes for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup, in a testimony published by the United States Department of Justice.

Sepp Blatter has insisted he was not the high-ranking FIFA official who authorised a 10million US dollar payment to the disgraced Jack Warner saying: “Definitely that’s not me.”

When Chuck Blazer answered the phone at his Trump Tower apartment, his pet macaw Max could often be heard squawking in the background.

FIFA is facing the prospect of losing two of its biggest sponsors after airline Emirates decided not to renew its contract and electronics giant Sony also considering ending its links with the world governing body.

FIFA have rejected an appeal by leading Caribbean official Lisle Austin against a one-year ban.

Sepp Blatter will today unveil his plans for FIFA reforms – with UEFA president Michel Platini urging him to keep his promises to implement change.

Mohamed Bin Hammam will take his battle against a lifetime ban for bribery to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after losing an appeal against the punishment.

Mohamed Bin Hammam has claimed the cash given to members of the Caribbean Football Union during his campaign for the FIFA presidency was simply payment to cover their expenses as he launched a stinging attack on the governing body for his life ban.

FIFA have confirmed that Jack Warner will appear as a witness into the continuing investigation into bribery claims despite his resignation.

JACK WARNER, the man at the centre of the FIFA bribery scandal, yesterday resigned from all his positions in international football saying he had been “hung out to dry”.

Jack Warner, the man at the centre of the FIFA bribery scandal, has resigned from all his positions in international football.

Officials at the centre of a FIFA investigation have made a complaint against Chuck Blazer, the whistleblower who sparked the bribery scandal that has rocked football’s world governing body.

Chuck Blazer, the man who blew the whistle on an alleged bribery scandal, has dismissed claims of a FIFA/USA conspiracy, insisting: “The only things that were American in all this were the $100 bills.”

Investigators will begin interviewing the heads of the 25 Caribbean associations at the centre of the FIFA bribery scandal today.

The power struggle at CONCACAF continued today after acting president Lisle Austin was provisionally banned for an alleged rule violation.

The Football Association’s attempt to have the FIFA election called off is “too little, too late”, according to the man who blew the whistle on alleged bribery by senior football figures.

FA chairman David Bernstein last night admitted the attempt to have the FIFA presidential election called off is almost certain to fail but insisted a “coronation” of Sepp Blatter is unacceptable.

Jack Warner has been reported to FIFA for allegedly violating his ban, it can be revealed.

Mohamed Bin Hammam arrived at FIFA’s headquarters today to face an ethics committee hearing on bribery charges, hours after withdrawing from the presidential election.

Mohamed bin Hammam has vowed to clear his name when he appears before the FIFA ethics committee later today after withdrawing from the presidential election.

FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has warned that a “football tsunami” will hit the world governing body over the next few days.

Sepp Blatter will appear before FIFA’s ethics committee on Sunday to answer charges that he knew about alleged cash payments, the world governing body announced today.

FIFA’s corruption crisis has taken another dramatic turn after Sepp Blatter was accused by his opponent in the presidential election of knowing about the payments which led to bribery charges.

FIFA today faced calls to abandon next week’s presidential election after two of football’s most powerful figures were accused of handing over up to $40,000 (€28,000) in bribes to officials.

TWO of football’s most powerful figures have been accused of handing over bundles of US dollar bills in the most serious corruption crisis that FIFA have ever faced.

Mohamed Bin Hammam came out fighting today after being charged by FIFA with offering bribes for votes.

FIFA’s corruption crisis deepened today after a dramatic announcement that vice-president Jack Warner and presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam have been charged with offering bribes for votes.

FIFA have opened an investigation into the conduct of four officials - including FIFA vice-president Jack Warner and presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam – in relation to bribery allegations made by executive committee member Chuck Blazer, it was announced today.

Football’s most powerful men were this morning preparing to begin the jousting to decide the number of World Cup berths for each continent.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has thrown his weight behind moves to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during the winter to avoid the heat problems.

YOU might have noticed that so grim are things in this country — with what few assets we have left now well and truly frozen — that it actually took the news of a man’s death this week to raise a genuine chuckle.

A WAR of words has broken out at the highest level of FIFA over criticism of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid due to extreme temperatures in the country in June and July.