This Wednesday, the FIFA president defended his plan for a World Cup every two years – against four currently – before the Council of Europe.
And Gianni Infantino goes to great lengths to bring his project to fruition.
“
We see football evolving in a direction where some have everything and the majority have nothing.
In Europe, the World Cup is held twice a week because the best players in the world play there
, ”said the number 1 in world football this Wednesday in Strasbourg.
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He nevertheless relativizes his remarks by underlining the differences within Europe itself.
In particular, we often find the same clubs qualified to compete in the Champions League, he explains.
A biennial World Cup would, he said, “
include the whole world
”.
Gianni Infantino notably evokes Africa.
“
In Europe, it took centuries and centuries for a change.
There is a lot to do, a lot to change.
We must give Africans hope that they will not have to cross the Mediterranean to perhaps have a better life here.
We must give them opportunities and dignity.
»
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For its part, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has demanded that respect for certain "
fundamental standards
" become a "
precondition
" for the designation of host countries for international football competitions, denouncing the "
thousands accidents
" observed in Qatar in preparation for the 2022 World Cup.
In a series of resolutions, the Assembly calls on FIFA and UEFA to "
review the conditions which the candidate countries must respect
" and to provide for "
predetermined minimum criteria
" concerning in particular "
workers' rights, equality between women and men, or the protection of underage athletes
”.
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The Assembly also considers that a country “
where women are manifestly discriminated against in access to sport should be excluded
” from the organization of international competitions.
Finally, concerning a future World Cup every two years, the ACPE asks FIFA “
not to take a decision without the agreement
” of the European federations and the International Olympic Committee.