Photo: Juan Alberto Pérez · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Born in Paraguay · Nationalities Colombian, Paraguayan, Spanish — Sports governance / corruption / marketing rights / extradition
Documented profile covering 10 controversies, including “2020: posthumous allegation of bribe for Qatar 2022 vote” and “2017: Paraguayan judge authorises extradition to United States”.
Profile No. 2494 · Updated on 12 October 2026
§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology
Case · 6 documented stages
2010; accusation rendue publique en April 2020
The third US superseding indictment alleged that Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and another official had received payments in exchange for votes for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
16 November 2017
A Paraguayan judge approved Leoz's extradition to the United States to face corruption allegations. His defence challenged the decision.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
2013–2015
US prosecutors included Leoz among the South American officials associated with a bribery scheme involving media and marketing rights for the Copa América and Copa América Centenario.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
27 May 2015
Leoz was indicted by US federal authorities in the international football corruption case on racketeering, fraud and money laundering charges connected with commercial bribes.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
June–July 2015
Leoz was placed under house arrest in Paraguay following the US extradition request, with his age and health influencing the conditions of detention.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
début des années 2000
US indictments described bribe payments and solicitations benefiting Leoz in exchange for his support for awarding or retaining commercial rights to the Copa Libertadores.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
1992–2000; conclusions publiées en 2013
FIFA's Ethics Committee report concluded that substantial sums from the ISL group had been channelled to Nicolás Leoz through intermediary companies, without any identifiable service in return, and characterised them as commissions now regarded as bribes.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
January 2008; examiné en 2013
Leoz explained that he had donated sums received from ISL to a school project, but the ethics report noted that the donation had been made only in 2008, several years after the money was originally received.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
23 April 2013
Leoz stepped down from FIFA's executive committee and the CONMEBOL presidency, citing his age, health and personal reasons, days before publication of the ethics findings concerning ISL payments.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
May 2011
Lord Triesman alleged that Leoz had requested a British honorary title in exchange for his support for England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup; another account raised the possibility of renaming the FA Cup in his honour.
Last verified: 15 September 2026
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