The debate is getting sharper: Uefa President Ceferin speaks out against a shortening of the World Cup rhythm, supporters around the world are organizing the resistance. But Fifa and its President Infantino are beating the drum for more tournaments.
It would have been too nice if the two reluctant grandees of world football had spoken one after the other on the same stage about the big controversy. Fifa President Gianni Infantino apologized – perhaps with foresight – and only sent a video message to the general assembly of the powerful club association ECA. Uefa boss Aleksander Ceferin used the meeting skillfully to oppose the tricky Fifa study to shorten the World Cup rhythm.
The world championships have “their value precisely because of their rarity”, said the Slovenian about the major event that is currently like the European championship (still) every four years and is worth billions. Holding the World Cup every two years would devalue the tournament itself. “More is not always better,” said Ceferin – a sentence that hardly fits the development of world football.
In 2026 the World Cup will have 48 participants
The controversial World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be held for the last time with 32 teams. For the tournament but one in 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico, the number of participants will increase to 48 teams. The increase was one of Infantino’s promises to Fifa members when he was first elected in February 2016. In May, the World Association’s Congress launched a feasibility study for the men’s and women’s tournament. Inspired by Saudi Arabia, where Infantino is reported to have good relations.
Not far away, in the World Cup host city of Doha, FIFA is calling this Wednesday and Thursday to an (online) conference of a “group of top footballers and coaches from six continents” on the future of “global football”. These include a number of big names – from Germany, record international player Lothar Matthäus and ex-national coach Jürgen Klinsmann, as well as Sami Khedira, 2014 world champion. Everyone looks for their allies.
“My dear friends,” said Ceferin on Monday at the ECA General Assembly in the direction of the delegates. The European clubs have almost all the top players in the world under contract. And it will hardly come in handy for them to have to attend these more often exhausting major tournaments. Some national associations in Europe, on the other hand, could rather support Fifa, which was able to collect votes for the study, especially in Africa.
The suggestion is not well received by the fans
The proposal does not go down well with the fans. The ARD “Sportschau” quoted on Tuesday from a letter published by the “Football Supporters Europe” alliance. “The overwhelming majority of fans are against a World Cup that takes place every two years”, quoted the “Sportschau” and pointed out that more than 50 fan organizations were among the signatories – including from Germany.
This Thursday and Friday, Uefa is also hosting a large conference on the future of European football at its headquarters in Nyon. “This is where we begin to move into a brighter future; together,” said Ceferin. The ECA, Uefa, Fifa – all confer. Arsène Wenger is a central figure at the world association.
The former successful coach of Arsenal FC is now employed by Fifa as head of global football development, and the 71-year-old Frenchman has been sent out on a number of occasions to promote a new rhythm for the World Cup. “In the meantime, 211 countries belong to Fifa, and 133 of them have never played a World Cup. These countries watch every four years without any chance of taking part themselves,” Wenger told “Kicker” in the summer. As a concession, the clubs should only have to send their professionals to the national teams once or twice for a longer period of time instead of several times a year.
“The international game calendar doesn’t need that,” said Ceferin on Monday. Even the players don’t need another summer with a tournament instead of a break. Shortly after the Uefa President’s speech, it was announced that Infantino “unfortunately” could not be present in person. In his video message against a blue FIFA background, the Swiss did not specifically mention the World Cup plan, but made it clear: “There are no taboo topics, the door of FIFA is open to every idea, every proposal. (…) We should don’t see that as some kind of struggle, as I hear it here and there. “
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
