Nike’s Bold Push Into Soccer Entangled It in FIFA Probe – Wall Street Journal

Nike Inc.’s entanglement with the biggest scandal in the soccer world began with a headlong plunge into unfamiliar territory two decades ago.

Fresh off the U.S.-hosted World Cup and desperate for a real foothold in the world’s most popular sport, Nike’s top officials aggressively pursued an endorsement with Brazil’s soccer federation. The effort culminated in a $200 million 10-year deal in 1996 that was staggering in size and put…