By Andrew Warshaw
January 24 – The head of the European Clubs Association has provided the biggest hint yet that his members will not take World Cup expansion lightly and could end co-operation with FIFA if their needs are not met.
It is by no means clear what the clubs can do about the move to expand the tournament from 2026 but Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who vehemently opposed the plan, is quoted in the German media as hinting the removal of players cannot be ruled out.
Saying that expansion will “inevitably lead to a revolution,” Rummenigge added: “The big clubs and even leagues will perhaps ask us at some point: do we really need FIFA and its curious decisions, which at the end of the day only affect the football – and not serve football.”
The ECA is understood to be studying possible repercussions of expansion from 32 teams, not least how its members might be compensated.
“The ECA has reached an agreement with FIFA, which ends in 2022,” explained Rummenigge, “There is currently no agreement for the time after that. Accordingly, it will have to be seen whether there is any further cooperation here.”
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