MOSCOW (AP) " FIFA has filled the first of 20 sponsor slots for the 2018 World Cup in a new program that stalled during its corruption crisis. FIFA says Russian bank Alfa-Bank has bought one of four European slots in a 'Regional Supporter' category. The regional program also offers four sponsor slots for each of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, North America and South America. It replaces the national supporter category which sold eight packages to Brazilian companies for the 2014 World Cup and just six in South Africa for 2010. The deal announced Monday continues a trend of new FIFA sponsors all coming from China and Russia.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 18, 2016 10:18 UTC