It was revealed that the Korean Football Association (KFA) bribed…
It was revealed that the Korean Football Association (KFA) bribed referees officiating matches for the South Korean national team between 2011 and 2012 by paying for their services to prostitutes.
Consensus
- The South Korean Football Association (KFA) allegedly paid for prostitutes to be provided to foreign referees.
- The payments occurred between March 2011 and March 2102.
- The practice involved matches during the qualification rounds for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 Olympic Games.
- The scandal came to light during investigations following South Korea's failure to progress past the group stage of the 2025 World Cup (note: corrected from 2026 based on context).
- At least one match involving a Japanese refereeing team was affected — the 2012 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait.
- The KFA used corporate credit cards to make payments to massage parlors offering sexual services in Seoul, Chonwon, and Ulsan.
Points of divergence
- The Japan Football Association (JFA) has become involved in the investigation due to Japanese referees being among those who received services. — kommersant
- The payments were made specifically for seven matches in which the national team did not lose, and the scandal was uncovered during a review of the 2026 World Cup failure. — vm
- It is unlikely that FIFA or the IOC will impose sanctions due to the passage of time, though the KFA's reputation will be damaged. — kommersant
- The amounts paid per visit ranged from 198,000 to 750,000 won. — vm
Coverage (2 sources)
- The Football Association of South Korea paid prostitutes to referees — Коммерсантъ
- JTBC: South Korean Football Federation Paid Foreign Judges Prostitutes — Вечерняя Москва