FIFA President Sepp Blatter addresses the media after meeting the presidents of the football federations of Israel and Palestine at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich September 3, 2013. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
BERLIN (Reuters) - Top European politicians pressured world soccer's governing body (FIFA) to award the 2022 football World Cup to Qatar, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday.
The tiny and energy-rich Gulf state was awarded the World Cup three years ago in a surprise decision which Blatter said was partly because of European politicians urging FIFA members to vote for it.
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