Wednesday 03 June 2015 5:01 am

Fifa sponsors celebrate Sepp Blatter resignation: Coca-Cola, Visa, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Adidas and Hyundai all welcome move

Fifa's sponsors have breathed a sigh of relief following Sepp Blatter's surprise decision to resign as president.

Blatter's stepping down follows a week of scandal for football's under-fire governing body after a number of top officials were arrested on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.

The organisation's main sponsors, whose patronage bought it $1.7bn (£1.1bn) last year, have been questioned for their continued support of the organisation dogged by scandal for many years.

Following last week's arrests, carried out on behalf of the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Fifa's sponsors issued vaguely-worded statements expressing "concern" as fans' fury grew.

Yet following Blatter's resignation, Fifa's main sponsors, which enjoy the visibility at the most-watched sporting event in the world through the World Cup, have all claimed to be encouraged by what is seen as a positive step.

Here's how they (with the exception of Russian oil firm Gazprom) responded.

Visa:

We are encouraged by the recognition by Fifa that extensive and fundamental reform is needed as reflected by the announcement that President Blatter is resigning and that Fifa will be undergoing a “profound overhaul”. This is a significant first step towards rebuilding public trust, but more work lies ahead.

Transparency, integrity and fair play must be the hallmarks of the new administration and Visa stands ready to work with Fifa towards these principles. We repeat, however, that it is our expectation that Fifa will take swift and immediate steps towards addressing the issues within its organization to quickly rebuild a culture with strong ethical practices that will restore the reputation of the games for fans around the world.

We look forward to understanding the nature and scope of the intended reforms in the very near future.

Coca-Cola:

We respect Mr. Blatter’s decision. The announcement today is a positive step for the good of sport, football and its fans. Our expectation remains that FIFA will continue to act with urgency to take concrete actions to fully address all of the issues that have been raised and win back the trust of all who love the sport of football. We believe this decision will help FIFA transform itself rapidly into a much-needed 21st century structure and institution.

Budweiser owner Anheuser-Busch:

We expect today's announcement to accelerate FIFA's efforts to resolve internal issues, install positive change and adhere to the highest ethical standards and transparency. We look forward to the beauty of the game taking centre-stage again for football fans around the globe.

McDonald's:

The allegations of corruption and questionable ethics within FIFA have overshadowed the game and taken away from the sport, players and fans.

We're hopeful that the changes being implemented within FIFA will be a big first step in positively reforming the organisation and gaining back trust from fans worldwide.

Hyundai:

Hyundai Motor views this announcement… to be a positive first step in creating a governance structure that ensures the highest ethical standards for the sport.

We remain committed to supporting the fan passion of football around the world.

Adidas:

We welcome FIFA's commitment to change. As stated before, the Adidas Group is fully committed to creating a culture that promotes the highest standards of ethics and compliance. Today's news marks a step in the right direction on FIFA's path to establish and follow transparent compliance standards in everything it does.