FIFA Uncovered has landed on Netflix just days before the opening World Cup game, where Qatar will be the first-ever middle eastern country to host the football tournament.
While football fans all over the world are excited to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022, the decision to host it in Qatar is a controversial one and has been met with criticism, which is what this new documentary explores.
Split into four parts, the documentary series begins in 2015 when 14 executive members of FIFA were arrested on suspicion of corruption, which prompted an investigation into how the host country is selected.
It also covers how Sepp Blatter became FIFA's president, as well as a subsequent thorny re-election further down the line. So there's a lot to unpack here.
All four parts are now available to stream exclusively on Netflix, so read on to find out everything you need to know about it.
FIFA Uncovered release date
All four episodes of FIFA Uncovered dropped on Netflix on Wednesday, November 9 — just eleven days before the opening World Cup game between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.
What is the premise of FIFA Uncovered?
Netflix's official description says: "For decades, FIFA united the globe through football. But behind the game, craftier schemes were at play. This documentary series traces the organization’s legacy exploring the pageantry, power struggles and politics of hosting the World Cup."
Investigative journalists feature in the series as well as Sepp Blatter, former UEFA president Michael Platini and other influential figures who have been involved in the case.
What were the accusations against Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini?
When Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup, it became the first Arabic nation to host the competition since it was founded in 1930. Due to the fact Qatar is not known for its football heritage, many fans and supporters were concerned about the reasons why the country would be hosting the World Cup.
At the time, Sepp Blatter revealed that he wanted to take football "to new lands" in an effort to further "develop” the sport, but allegations of vote buying were made soon after as people did not believe these claims.
Following this, an independent investigation commissioned by FIFA found no evidence of corruption and Qatar denied all allegations of buying votes, so the 2022 World Cup is going ahead there as planned.
Outside of the World Cup bidding scandal, Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini also faced a trial in July 2022 following accusations of fraud, in relation to a large payment. They were both found to be not guilty.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, an official trailer has been released where Sepp Blatter is described as once being "the Godfather of Football". It also goes on to explain that the lines apparently blurred within FIFA, despite initial good intentions, and outlines some of the things fans should expect from the documentary.
You can watch the trailer below.
