October 22 – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said he is not interested in the plotting behind the scenes in European football and the creation of a Super League, but he remains committed to the world federation’s revamped but delayed Club World Cup.
Infantino was speaking to Swiss media in defence of his record as FIFA president, also addressed the recent reports which suggested an imminent, dramatic change to Europe’s elite club football landscape.
“As FIFA president, I’m interested in the Club World Cup, not the Super League,” said Infantino, reported by Aargauer Zeitung. “For me, it’s not about Bayern Munich against Liverpool, but Bayern against Boca Juniors. Liverpool have 180 million fans worldwide. Flamengo have 40 million fans and 39 million of them are in Brazil. Liverpool have maybe 5 million fans in England and 175 million fans around the world.
“I want clubs from outside Europe to have global appeal in the future. That’s my vision: to have 50 clubs and 50 national teams who can become world champions.”
Infantino has long envisaged a bigger destiny for the Club World Cup, a tournament that in its current format remains unloved and unwanted in the international match calendar. In 2021, China was set to host an expanded 24-team Club World Cup, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and its ripple effect on the calendar that tournament has been pushed back.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1735285330labto1735285330ofdlr1735285330owedi1735285330sni@o1735285330fni1735285330