By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – Perhaps in the knowledge that nearly all of football’s stakeholders are united in opposition, Gianni Infantino tried to distance himself from the highly controversial idea of staging the World Cup every two years by telling the world on Thursday that FIFA never actually proposed the plan in the first place.
The concept of a biennial World Cup has been lambasted by almost everyone in the game and has caused such resentment that only Africa among FIFA’s membership has publicly supported the idea, with UEFA even threatening to boycott the competition.
So on the eve of today’s World Cup draw, Infantino, not someone who easily admits defeat in the face of widespread criticism, took the opportunity to try and regain the moral high ground on the issue.
Ever since a two-year World Cup cycle was first publicly mooted by Saudi Arabia and taken up by Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of global development, Infantino has forcefully supported what would be a seismic change to the status quo.
The FIFA president claimed at a virtual global summit late last year that playing the World Cup more regularly would offer millions of dollars in additional revenue to member federations.
But at Thursday’s FIFA Congress, Infantino backed away from his brash crusade and insisted the concept had not got as far as an actual recommendation, more a talking shop.
“Let me be very clear that FIFA has not proposed a biennial World Cup,” Infantino said on the podium at the organisation’s congress in Doha.
“Let’s get the process clear here. The last FIFA congress asked the FIFA administration with a vote with 88% voted in favour … to study the feasibility of a World Cup every two years.
“The FIFA administration under the leadership of Arsene Wenger did exactly that. FIFA did not propose anything but came to the conclusion that it is feasible, that it would have some repercussions and impact.”
Nice try, Gianni.
Last October, Infantino pulled plans for a vote on the issue at a potential December extraordinary congress that never happened. The idea was also conspicuous by its absence from the agenda for the FIFA Council session held on Wednesday this week.
Driving Infantino’s current stance appears to be a power struggle between FIFA and its most powerful confederations. Hence presumably why a biennial World Cup was not on the agenda at Thursday’s full Congress either.
But at a news conference shortly after the Congress Infantino once again defended the process.
“We are not in a hurry,” he told reporters. “The [match] calendar is there until 2024. If we find an agreement in one week, it is great. If it is one year, it is great as well. One hundred years ago, some wise man decided the World Cup should take place every four years. Times are evolving. Let’s see what we can do better.”
Infantino also took the opportunity to once again bang the drum again for an expanded Club World Cup, his pet project but a date and format for which has not still yet been fixed.
“We are still looking for a new version,” said Infantino. “Everyone agrees that the current one is not exciting or inclusive enough. I know the calendar is congested but … we are speaking about a FIFA competition that will help football development all over the world. Maybe we can find one week here or there.”
“Don’t forget that in all continents except Europe the Club World Cup has a very big importance. If we don’t find anything better it will be a 24-team tournament in the month of June every four years.”
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