UEFA has ‘grave concerns’ over FIFA’s biennial WCup push

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has “grave concerns” about FIFA’s plans to stage World Cups every two years and is astonished by the lack of consultation by Gianni Infantino’s governing body, according to correspondence obtained by The Associated Press yesterday.

Responding to a letter from Football Supporters Europe executive director Ronan Evain, Ceferin backed the group’s “extremely valid and important” concerns about the potential damage caused to domestic and regional competitions from doubling the frequency of World Cups.

The push by Infantino to transform the international calendar so every year would feature a men’s or women’s World Cup is opening up a new rift with UEFA at a time when the financial impact of the pandemic is being felt across global football.

“UEFA and its national associations also have serious reservations and grave concerns surrounding reports of FIFA’s plans,” Ceferin wrote to Evain in the letter seen by the AP.

The plans first surfaced in May when Saudi Arabia’s national federation nominally proposed at the congress in May for FIFA to explore biennial men’s and women’s World Cups – despite not having a women’s team to compete in international events. The Saudis have emerged as one of the closest allies of Infantino, who has made at least two visits this year to see Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While FIFA says it is in a consultation phase still, Infantino has been deploying Arsene Wenger to push the case. The former Arsenal manager is now chief of global football development at FIFA, advancing views at odds with those from his previous career.

While Arsenal manager, Wenger complained about the African Cup of Nations being held every two years – especially as it disrupted the European season.

“For years now, we have asked them to organise this cup at least every four years and during the summer,” Wenger said in 2005. “But it’s still every two years and during the winter. I don’t know why.”

Wenger has been making the case in the media, but Ceferin claims not to have had the same presentations from FIFA.

“Considering the major impact this reform may have on the whole organisation of football,” Ceferin wrote, “there is widespread astonishment that FIFA appears to be launching a PR campaign to push its proposal whilst any such proposals haven’t been presented to confederations, national associations, leagues, clubs, players, coaches, clubs and all the football community.

FOOTBALLING WORLD

“As one concrete example amongst so many, it is imperative to highlight the concerns shared across the footballing world regarding the impact a biennial FIFA World Cup would have on the international match calendar and, prominently in this context, on women’s football.”

Currently, the Women’s World Cup and continental events, like the European Championship, are held in odd-numbered years. The men’s World Cup and Euros are held in even-numbered years. FIFA’s new vision for football would mean every year would feature a men’s tournament that would deny the clear summer focus to promote the growth of the women’s game. A World Cup would also clash with the Olympics, unlike now.

-AP