FIFA “World Summit” on the future of football - controversial World Cup

Created: 12/20/2021, 04:47 AM

The FIFA Council decided in October that possible reforms of the international match calendar should be discussed.

© Omar Zoheiry / dpa

The world association invites you to a “world summit” to debate the future of football.

Above all, it's about the rhythm of the World Cup - the issue of the past few months.

The opposition is standing.

Doha - With a bulky headline, the European Football Union UEFA once again placed its clear rejection of the FIFA plans in good time.

“Independent study of a biennial World Cup shows negative economic effects for football,” wrote UEFA ahead of the world association's summit this Monday.

The plan to shorten the rhythm of the World Cup, supported by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has been a burden on world football for months.

“There will be 500 people in the video conference.

I do not assume that there will be very many deep decisions made.

So far we haven't even received an agenda, ”said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin last Thursday.

"We only know that the title should be" The Future of Football "- that can mean a lot or nothing at all."

The FIFA Council - incidentally with Ceferin and DFB interim boss Peter Peters - decided in October that a huge group of people would discuss possible reforms of the international match calendar on December 20.

A “world summit on the future of football,” as FIFA wrote.

A vote on a new, two-year World Cup cycle seems long since off the table.

UEFA complains about a lack of information

"It's very hard to think about any compromise when you don't have information," said Ceferin.

UEFA goes to the conference with no specific strategy.

The European Union has found a strong ally in the South American confederation CONMEBOL.

Both are discussing a joint Nations League from 2024. Infantino is also thinking of an even more global tournament, possibly as a compromise.

According to the UEFA study, national associations have to be prepared for lower revenues when hosting World Cups every two years.

These could be reduced by 2.5 to 3 billion euros within four years.

UEFA referred to a study commissioned by a consulting firm, the results of which it presented on Friday.

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In the meantime, the world association presented a survey that, according to FIFA information, is intended to show an interest on the part of fans in a shortened World Cup rhythm.

Almost a third of the 30,390 respondents who named football as their favorite sport would have spoken out in favor of a more frequent World Cup for men.

After England, rejection was particularly high in Germany, with 50 percent speaking out against it.

Complete information on the methodology will be published at a later date.

dpa