‘A biennial World Cup is a no go for everyone in football’
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has claimed that a biennial World Cup is “off the table” and that FIFA has realised the proposal is a “no go”.
FIFA has proposed the change as part of its revamped international calendar, and are keen to reduce the time period between each prestigious tournament.
The governing body’s president, Gianni Infantino, also said in December that a biennial World Cup would generate in excess of £3.3 billion in additional revenue over a four-year cycle.
However, UEFA, the European Club Association and European Leagues have all spoken against FIFA’s plans to change the footballing calendar.
On Thursday (March 3), Ceferin said he was confident the proposal would be ‘abandoned’ after discussions with Infantino earlier this week.
“A biennial World Cup is a no go for everyone in football,” Ceferin told the Financial Times Football Business Summit.
“I am glad FIFA has realised that as well.
“I had a discussion with FIFA’s president about it yesterday. We cannot say football on other continents cannot be developed, but we should be aligned and it should not hurt European and South American Federations.
“We have discussions but as far as I am concerned, a biennial World Cup is off the table. I am sure we will come to a solution with FIFA soon.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says plans to hold a biennial World Cup are a "no go" for everyone in football, adding that FIFA has also come to the same realisation.
— Bruce Amani (@AmaniBruce) March 3, 2022
While several organisations opposed a biennial World Cup, CAF, the African governing body, gave its backing to the proposal.
A recent survey found that 75 per cent of players want the World Cup to remain an event played every four years.
The survey, conducted by world players’ union FIFPRO and national player unions around the world in October and November 2021, found that 77 per cent of players in both Europe and Asia want the international calendar to remain how it is, with 63 per cent in favour in the Americas.
Forty nine per cent of African players favoured four-yearly World Cups, with the remainder of results split between playing the tournament every two or three years.
"I'm fully aware that players' bodies certainly come secondary to finances in football."
A recent @FIFPRO survey found that 75% of footballers are AGAINST a biennial World Cup. Tyrone Mings – @officialtm_3 – is one of them pic.twitter.com/PkGIRCGbC7
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 15, 2022
Related links:
