FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised Wednesday to seek a
global consensus during a longer period of consultation about the World Cup’s
future. That was seen as him acknowledging the strength of European opposition
to doubling the frequency of the World Cup.
The 33-nation European Leagues group was later briefed by
FIFA officials, including Arsène Wenger, who shaped the proposal that includes
biennial World Cups and fewer, but longer, breaks in domestic seasons to play
national team games.
FIFA decided this week not to push for a December vote of
its 211 member federations and instead to host online talks on Dec. 20 in what
it called a “global summit.”
“We have also understood very clearly (Thursday) that this
does not mean that the proposal from FIFA is off the table,” European Leagues
managing director Jacco Swart said Friday.
“We do have no other alternative than strongly reject the
FIFA proposals,” said Swart, a former official at the Netherlands’ top league.
The leagues cited the risk of “a severe shift in sporting
and economic value from domestic to international competitions.”
It’s estimated that playing a World Cup every two years
would add about $3 billion to FIFA’s revenue that is currently $6 billion in a
four-year commercial cycle with one men’s edition.
FIFA’s proposal also calls for biennial continental
tournaments like the European Championship and South America’s Copa America to
ensure major men’s events in June every year.
FIFA argues this is necessary to attract and retain young
fans and fuel development of soccer globally.
“The FIFA proposals are detrimental for the domestic
competitions, for the clubs, for the players and for all the fans,” Swart said,
echoing the views of European soccer body UEFA and fan groups.
“Football as a whole cannot accept those proposals,” he said
after a two-day meeting of European Leagues members in Milan.
The leagues prefer keeping the current system of pausing for
one weekend four times each season to clear space for national-team games. FIFA
wants fewer breaks with less long-haul travel for players, and one option calls
for a single long break in October.
Infantino said this week FIFA is preparing a feasibility
study that will include the economic effects of biennial tournaments ahead of
the December meeting of its members.
In a hostile online meeting Tuesday with UEFA members, some
told Infantino they could resign from FIFA if the biennial World Cup is
approved. UEFA and South American soccer body CONMEBOL have also suggested
boycotting future World Cups.
Europe and South America combine for 65 of the 211 FIFA
votes and would likely need help from other regions where there is more support
for Infantino and getting the chance to qualify for more World Cups.
FIFA has found support from many retired players, including
World Cup winners, though active players and national-team coaches have broadly
rejected the plan.
The International Olympic Committee has opposed FIFA
claiming a biennial men’s World Cup would squeeze women’s soccer and other
sports, and strain payers’ physical and mental health. -AP
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