El Salvador soccer players say they were offered bribe to fix match

Players on the El Salvador national soccer team said they were offered thousands to avoid a majorloss in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifying game against Canada.

The El Salvadoran players were offered up to about $3,000 each depending on the end result of Tuesday’s match, according to multiple reports. The El Salvador captain, Nelson Bonilla, played a 10-minute taped conversation with the alleged match fixer at Monday's news conference where the man promised varying amounts: $30 per minute played for a win, $20 per minute for a tie and $10 for a 1-0 loss and no money if El Salvador lost by two goals.

El Salvador is in the bottom of its group for CONCACAF qualifying ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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A loss by El Salvador on Tuesday would hinder neighboring Honduras’ efforts of qualifying for the World Cup. The BBC reported Tuesday that the offer was made by man who knew some players on the El Salvadoran team and wanted to aid Honduras’ chances to make the World Cup.

“In reference to what we heard, we want to make it clear that we are against anything of this kind,” Bonilla said, according to The Guardian.  “We want to be transparent about everything that has happened with the national team.”