FIFA's follies and soccer in the United States

Mohamed Bin Hammam was one of two high-ranking FIFA members suspended Sunday over allegations of corruption.

It was less than a year ago when the United States made it to the knockout stage of the World Cup in South Africa, giving soccer some new American fans along the way.

Now, two high-ranking members of the sport's world governing body have been suspended amid allegations of corruption. The uproar may be giving some of those new soccer fans a crash course in the role that FIFA plays in the sport, and it may leave them wondering what the corruption allegations might mean for soccer in America and around the globe.

"FIFA likes to say that it has more members than the United Nations - and it does," said Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl. "Their members include 208 nations around the world."

It also earned more than $4 billion last year, more than the gross domestic product of some of its member nations.

FIFA is the top of the pyramid of the organization of the sport worldwide. And like the U.N., the organization is full of politics and has the occasional scandal. In the latest scandal, high-ranking FIFA officials Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam - a candidate for FIFA's presidency - were accused of offering bribes in return for votes for Bin Hammam. Both were suspended over the weekend, and the only remaining presidential candidate, incumbent Sepp Blatter, was re-elected on Wednesday.

Before that, some FIFA members allegedly sought bribes for a different kind of vote - the December decisions on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Two members have denied claims that they took money to vote for Qatar, which was awarded the 2022 event. That vote was of particular interest for the United States, which was vying to host the 2022 edition.

What do these allegations mean for soccer fans in the United States? Do they care? CNN Radio's Steve Kastenbaum looked for the answers. Click the audio player to hear Kastenbaum's story: