FIFA to meet sponsors on Thursday

FIFA will meet some of its leading commercial partners on Thursday to discuss reforms, a source close to soccer's world governing body said on Tuesday.

The meeting will take place in Zurich, the source told Reuters, although no further details were available.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said last month that Coca-Cola, Visa and McDonald's had written asking for information about what was being done to clean up governance of the sport and offering to meet soccer's ruling body.

Valcke's announcement came after Coca-Cola and Visa urged FIFA to support the creation of an independent body to reform the way it is run.

McDonald's said it had told FIFA that its internal controls and compliance culture were not consistent with the expectations it had for its business partners.

Coca-Cola confirmed in a statement that they would be involved. "The Coca-Cola Company will be participating in the working session with FIFA. We are not providing any further details at this time," it said.

FIFA was thrown into turmoil in May when U.S. prosecutors indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom had FIFA positions, and five marketing and broadcasting company executives over a range of alleged offences.

The charges included fraud, money-laundering and racketeering.

Visa and McDonald's did not initially respond to requests for comment on the meeting.

FIFA has set up a new Reform Committee, headed by former International Olympic Committee (IOC) director general Francois Carrard.

However, critics say it lacks independence as it is made up mostly of members of the continental confederations who also elect the members of the executive committee.

The executive committee is itself one of the main targets for reforms.