It is now an open clash between Fifa and Uefa on the new international football calendar. Fifa is working to approve a reform that allows a World Cup to be played every 2 years, apparently supported by 166 countries, while UEFA and the football leagues have expressed their opposition to the risk that such a revolution jeopardizes national tournaments. and impoverish the clubs.
Fifa’s proposal
«We have decided to reorganize the international match calendar because 166 countries have asked us to organize the World Cup every two years. Let’s see if we can change or not because we are in a democracy, but I am convinced that my plan is the right one “, reiterated the head of the development of world football at FIFA. Arsene Wenger on the sidelines of the presentation in Qatar of the ‘Football of tomorrow’ program, a project designed by the Technical Advisory Group to revisit the international calendar. «Our mission is to improve the quality of the competition at world level – explained the former Arsenal manager from Doha -. One of the main concerns is the number of games, too much is played. We want races that have a greater meaning, we want to focus on quality and not quantity. Fewer matches, fewer competitions and our plan includes fewer stop and go for the national teams, one or two windows for qualifying, fewer away matches and more rest for the players ».
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The number of matches since 2024
«I was asked how to improve the calendar from 2024 – added Wenger -. One of the solutions is to organize better competitions. If people have better ideas, I’m open to dialogue. Obviously I will respect the decisions of the football family, of the decision makers. Part of our proposal is to involve people who play at a very high level, i.e. coaches, managers and people who are still active. The answer has been quite positive, but it will be a democratic decision. We will continue the consultation, we will continue to discuss with the people. After that, it will be up to the 211 federations to decide what will happen ». For clubs, leagues and federations, Wenger believes that the new calendar could have several advantages: fewer breaks, fewer stop & go, more development opportunities, more opportunities to participate and organize a World Cup and an interest in investing in youth programs. “This four-year cycle was established in 1930, but times change”, concluded Wenger. “As many as 166 associations out of 188 are in favor of deepening the feasibility of the biennial World Cup”, underlined Infantino, who has time also cradled the idea of a 24-team Club World Cup (project blocked for now by the pandemic). Infantino and Wenger count on the support of the Federations of Asia, Africa, Oceania and North America which would see their revenues multiplied.
October and June for the national teams
The current system, which typically sees players playing in Europe taking long-haul flights to their home countries throughout the season in short breaks for national team matches, could be replaced by a single block of fewer qualifying matches a October. International tournaments would occupy June each year, with players proposing to get a mandatory 25-day vacation in July before rejoining their clubs. Wenger said the balance of players who have 20% of their matches for national teams and 80% for clubs would remain, albeit “in a more efficient way”. Wenger said FIFA could make a decision in December, though it will likely be ratified by its 211-member congress next year. Europe and South America have a total of just 65 out of 211 votes, with Africa’s 54 now closely linked to Infantino, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee. FIFA’s project could find opposition from Olympic sports as well, as the addition of another World Cup would absorb billions of dollars in commercial revenue and an enormous amount of media attention. If approved, a two-year World Cup could probably be played in odd years to avoid overlapping the Summer Olympics.
Uefa and South America opposed
“We can also decide not to play,” was the reply of Alexander Ceferin, president of Uefa. In an interview with the British newspaper The Times, the number 1 in European football issued a clear warning to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “As far as I know, the South Americans are also on the same line. So good luck with such a World Cup. I think it will never happen because it is contrary to the fundamental principles of football. Play a month-long tournament every summer, for killer players. If it is every two years it clashes with the Women’s World Cup, with the Olympic football tournament. Its value is precisely because it is played every four years, you wait for it, it’s like the Olympics, it’s a great event. I don’t see our federations supporting him ». The FIFA Congress voted with a large majority for a feasibility study to be carried out on the idea of a two-year World Cup, but according to Ceferin the project should be rejected. “I hope they come to their senses, because I don’t see the approach. They didn’t call and I didn’t get a letter or anything. I only read it in the media. The Superlega project is shameful, that of the World Cup every two years is wrong “, concluded Ceferin, recalling the battle front still open for the project that Juventus, Real and Barcelona are pushing forward, hoping for a favorable ruling. of the EU Court of Justice.