Scandal-plagued FIFA postponed the bidding for the right to host the 2026 World Cup yesterday and embarked on the search to find a replacement for outgoing president Sepp Blatter.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said during an event in Russia that it would be “nonsense” to start the bidding process for the tournament for the time being.

Meanwhile, FIFA said its executive committee would hold an extraordinary meeting in July to discuss “various dates options” for the Congress which will elect Blatter’s replacement.

The FBI are investigating bribery and corruption at FIFA, including scrutiny of how football’s governing body awarded World Cup hosting rights to Russia, which won the bidding for 2018, and Qatar, which is due to host the finals in 2022.

The extent of the turmoil engulfing FIFA was apparent in an emotional outburst by the usually composed Valcke, who said he was being destroyed by the media in his native France and gave a theatrical defence of his decision to sign off on a $10 million payment at the centre of the US bribery investigation.

Waving his pen in front of journalists, a visibly impatient Valcke asked: “You want me to take this pen and to hit my head and say ‘Hey! I have been stupid, I should have asked many more questions?”

“You have decided that after Blatter I have to be next head to be cut?” Valcke said at a news conference in the Russian city of Samara, one of the 2018 host venues.

Blatter tendered his resignation on June 2, four days after having been re-elected for a fifth term.

He wants to remain in office until his successor is elected in order to carry out reforms at FIFA. But there have been widespread calls for him to step down at once given the gravity of the crisis facing the 111-year-old organisation.

On the 2026 World Cup, Valcke said: “Due to the situation, I think it’s nonsense to start any bidding process for the time being. It will be postponed.”

The decision on who hosts the 2026 finals had been due to be made in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said he saw no threat to Russia hosting the cup in 2018 and its bid was in line with the law.

Valcke, Blatter’s right-hand man, said Russia’s plans were on track and there had been nothing in its bid to suggest it was not in line with the regulations.

Platini welcomes decision

In Paris, UEFA president Michel Platini, holding his first news conference since Blatter’s resignation, welcomed the decision to postpone the bidding for 2026.

“It’s normal. There was a process that was launched for a vote in 2017,” said Platini, who has become a leading critic of Blatter and FIFA.

“There is no leadership at the moment, so it’s normal that it’s suspended. It’s good.”

On Blatter’s replacement, FIFA would not confirm a report by the BBC that the election would take place on December 16 in Zurich.

Last week, Domenico Scala, head of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee and the man responsible for overseeing the election, said it could take place any time between December and March.

Four months’ notice are needed for a presidential election to be held.