FIFA has confirmed that the Twitter accounts of president Sepp Blatter and the World Cup team were hacked this evening, with a series of controversial messages left on both.
The co-ordinated hacking affected the @SeppBlatter and the @FifaWorldCup accounts, with messages suggesting the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar had been corrupted.
While the @FifaWorldCup account carried tweets suggesting Blatter was to stand down following corruption charges, the @SeppBlatter account 'responded' with messages purporting to be Blatter defending himself.
Powerful: Sepp Blatter is the FIFA president
Controversial: Many have long disagreed with Sepp Blatter's FIFA presidency
Downbeat? Blatter did not appear in the best of spirits during a recent news conference in Havana
A FIFA statement tonight said: 'We can confirm that some of FIFA's twitter accounts, including the account of the FIFA President and @fifaworldcup, have been hacked today.
'We are looking at this issue at the moment.
'In the meantime, to avoid any doubt, we kindly ask you to verify and check any statements that you see on a FIFA twitter account with the FIFA Media department (media@fifa.org).'
Twitter: Blatter has over 300,000 followers
Corruption? The official Fifa World Cup account also appears to have been hacked
A group called the Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility by signing off from both accounts.
The hacking began with a message which read: ''FIFA executives held a meeting regarding the decision to host the 2022 World Cup in £Qatar
'It was decided that the president Sepp Blatter is to step down due to corruption charges.'
A message on Blatter's account then said: 'So what if I took money from Qatari prince? I am the family's bread earner.'
More tweets: But unfortunately Blatter appears likely to stay
Reign over? Apparently not just yet
Hacked: Individuals calling themselves the Syrian Electronic Army are responsible for the affair
Charitable? Many think otherwise