FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he could not rule out a rerun of the voting for the right to host the 2022 World Cup that was controversially won by the tiny Arab emirate of Qatar at the USA's expense in December. Blatter, who is seeking reelection in June to his fourth term, said a re-vote by FIFA Executive Committee is possible pending a FIFA inquiry into claims made by The Sunday Times that there was corruption in the vote.

The Sunday Times alleged that executive committee members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma took bribes of $1.5 million each to vote for Qatar. Blatter said the notion of a re-vote would be "alarming" but conceded it was one that had a groundswell of popular support and was "circulating around the world."

The matter will hinge on the evidence of a whistle-blower who has made claims of wrongdoing by the Qataris those representing the Qataris and has agreed to meet with FIFA officials in Zurich, according to Blatter.

"But don't ask me now yes or no, let us go step by step," Blatter said. "It's like we are in an ordinary court and in an ordinary court we cannot ask: 'If, if, if.'"

FIFA had been widely criticized for awarding the biggest sports event in the world to a country of 1.6 million people with little soccer culture and temperatures of more than 110 degrees in June and July. Qatar spent by far and away the most on its bid.