UEFA have expressed their disappointment with the “methodology adopted” by FIFA regarding their plans for biennial World Cups.
FIFA announced earlier this week that they will hold an online summit with football associations from all over the world to discuss their new plans for the international calendars.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is currently FIFA’s chief of global football development and recently proposed the idea of a World Cup being hosted every two years.
Now, in a written statement on their official website, UEFA have asked for proper consultation around the subject.
The statement read : “UEFA acknowledges that FIFA has presented a proposal entailing a doubling of World Cup final tournaments as of 2028 as well as Confederations’ final tournaments as of 2025, combined with massive restructuring of the dates reserved by the International Match Calendar for the matches regularly played by all 211 FIFA member associations.
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“We are grateful for the attention reserved to the UEFA European Championship, with the proposed double frequency of its final event, but we prefer to address such a sensitive matter with a comprehensive rather than speculative approach.
“UEFA is disappointed with the methodology adopted, which has so far led to radical reform projects being communicated and openly promoted before having been given, together with other stakeholders, the chance to participate in any consultation meeting.”
UEFA continued by suggesting why they think that this idea is particularly concerning.
“There are real dangers associated with this plan,” the statement added.
“The dilution of the value of the No.1 world football event, whose quadrennial occurrence gives it a mystique that generations of fans have grown up with.
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“The erosion of sporting opportunities for the weaker national teams by replacing regular matches with final tournaments.
“The risk to sustainability for players, forced to engage in summer high intensity competitions every year instead of longer recuperation breaks in alternate years.
“The risk for the future of women’s tournaments, deprived of exclusive slots and overshadowed by the proximity of top men’s events.”
UEFA concluded by urging FIFA to abstain from promotional campaigns before they have fully consulted the relevant stakeholders about their proposals.
https://www.football.london/premier-league/fifa-uefa-world-cup-wenger-21647693
