In December 2010, the 22-member FIFA Executive Committee selected Russia to host the 2018 World Cup (and Qatar for 2022). Russia prevailed against England (eliminated in the first round) and the joint bids of Netherlands/Belgium and Portugal/Spain. Russia secured a majority with 13 votes in the second round, besting POR/ESP (7) and NED/BEL (2). Not without controversy, the elections were plagued by allegations of corruption and vote buying. While FIFA commissioned an independent investigation on the scandal, its report was never made public, much to the chagrin of FIFA's critics. One of the reforms following this debacle, however, was to have future decisions on World Cup hosts made by the entire FIFA membership instead of the more exclusive Executive Committee.
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