'Dead In Its Tracks' - FIFPro Chief Convinced Biennial World Cup Won't Happen
Zeeshan Mehtab Published October 27, 2021 | 10:22 PM
The head of global footballers' union FIFPro is confident a plan to hold the men's World Cup every two years is "dead in its tracks" and insists FIFA should do more to promote the women's version instead
Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :The head of global footballers' union FIFPro is confident a plan to hold the men's World Cup every two years is "dead in its tracks" and insists FIFA should do more to promote the women's version instead.
FIFA will hold a summit in December with president Gianni Infantino still hoping to find consensus on plans to stage the men's tournament more often than the current four-year cycle.
However, opposition has been so widespread from leagues, players and supporters groups that the chances of a biennial World Cup actually happening appear remote.
"There has been a lot of pushback. They have realised that," FIFPro's general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann told AFP about FIFA's proposals.
"It is quite clear that if you try to push this through against the interests of all these other stakeholders, and without their agreement, it is probably dead in its tracks." FIFPro, comprised of national member associations from 64 countries, is one of several organisations within football that has expressed unhappiness at a lack of consultation on the issue.
The proposals were put forward by Arsene Wenger, FIFA's head of global development.
Baer-Hoffmann questioned whether holding more frequent World Cups would be sustainable economically, but said there is already a solution in place.
"When we met with FIFA for the first time, we asked them for the economic analysis, we haven't seen that yet. I don't think a second World Cup would just mean the current revenue times two. It's not like you just double the value in sponsorship etcetera.
"The truth is also that there are two World Cups in every four-year cycle already. We should make the women's one more of a priority. That is your second World Cup."The World Cup is expanding regardless in another way -- the men's version to 48 teams from 2026 and the women's to 32 teams from 2023.
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