A dispute between the international governing body...

A dispute between the international governing body of soccer (FIFA) and the United States Soccer Federation over televising the 1994 World Cup may cost NBC its rights, according to a report in today’s New York Times. FIFA’s general secretary, Joseph Blatter, is calling the U.S. federation’s agreement with NBC “not acceptable to FIFA” because it was reached without competitive bidding.

The United States will host the tournament for the first time. The Turner Broadcasting System, which holds American rights to the 1990 tournament in Italy, has complained to USSF board members that its bid for 1994 was treated with a “lack of fairness and candor.” Similar complaints came from ABC and CBS, the newspaper reported.