Concerns about the biennial World Cup: ‘Football will undermine other sports’ | football

“The meeting revealed that a number of international federations, national football associations, clubs, players, players’ and coaches’ organizations expressed strong reservations and concerns about plans to increase FIFA’s revenue,” the IOC said in a statement.

According to the commission, there are fears that the biennial World Cup could have a significant impact on other events, “undermining the diversity and development of sports other than football”. In addition, there are concerns that another major men’s tournament “will hold more promotion of women’s football.” Finally, there are concerns about the players’ well-being, as the semi-annual World Cup “places an even greater burden on the players’ physical and mental health”.

The IOC says it shares its concerns and supports the call for football parties, international sports federations and organizers of major events for broader consultations, including with representatives of the players themselves, which the committee clearly says has not happened.

A FIFA committee led by Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal coach who is now FIFA’s head of international football development, recently proposed that the FIFA World Cup be held every two years from 2028. The European and South American football federations have already expressed their opposition to the plan. .

Gianni Infantino

FIFA President Gianni Infantino once again called for the biennial World Cup on Friday. He did so during a press conference in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, his first stop on a tour through South America.

“As FIFA, we have to make sure that football is truly global,” said the Swiss-Italian. “The president of FIFA is the president of 211 federations and they all have the right to dream. But you must also be given the opportunity to realize that dream. What is the real chance that Venezuela will qualify for the World Cup today? And yet it is a country of 30 million people that has never participated in the World Cup. She has little chance of qualifying under the current circumstances.”

FIFA has already decided, from 2026, to increase the number of participants in the World Cup from 32 to 48. With the World Cup having a two-year period instead of four years, the FIFA wants to move forward with the reform, even if it is achieved. With, among others, against UEFA.

“We have analyzed the calendar reform with the World Cup being held every two years and this is possible,” Infantino added. “There are many benefits to that. This way you will give more countries a chance to participate. When it was decided to hold the World Cup every four years, about 100 years ago, FIFA had 40 countries. It is time to analyze the issue. But if we make changes, everyone should benefit. “.

Infantino reiterated that a decision is expected “before the end of the year”.