Seems that this idea is gaining momentum and might well be signed off by next year.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58506448The plan will include:
- A biennial World Cup in even years.
- Confederation tournaments (including the European Championship) in odd years.
- Either one (October) or two (October and March) mid-season international breaks, for a month in total, when qualifying for major tournaments will take place. Groups of four countries are envisaged, with a play-off, for a maximum of seven matches.
- Guaranteed rest periods for players once tournaments are over.
Whilst having extended international breaks for qualifying isn't a bad idea, as it will mean less breaks in the season and qualifying is done quicker, i just can't see how having a major international tournament EVERY summer is a good idea.
Under the new proposals, there will be a world cup one year, Euro's/Copa America the next, world cup the next and so on. Players will never again get a summer off.
Comments
Forget the players, WE need summers off too.
So if this goes ahead domestically there will probably be calls for less games, so i think it will lead to the league cup being scrapped and eventually the PL will push for a reduction to 18 teams.
It also means even less time to fit in the qualifiers.
What's not to like! ;-)
Another ridiculous idea just like the 100 in cricket.
It's a no from me.
The huge irony is it’s Wenger pushing for it but when he managed Arsenal he was forever moaning about releasing players for internationals because there were too many games.
I love football but it’s going further and further away from it’s fans.
Who is going to pay mega millions, plus enormous salaries for players that are only going to be available for short and sporadic periods?
This ain’t gonna work.
Wenger is deluded.
Purely from an England fans perspective- it’s probably not a bad thing when it looks like we are going to have a period of the best team in most peoples lifetimes. Boosts the chances of it coming to fruition!
would cheapen a win IMO, the world cup is the big one, it only comes around once every 4 years meaning players have less chances to win it or even play in it and that's one of the things that makes it special
If not, then have you really thought this through?
When I was a kid - the FA cup final was the best day of the year. It felt special. It was your chance to see a live match on TV and I watched the coverage from start to finish - switching between ITV and BBC to see the players walking in the hotel grounds, playing cards on the coach and then finally, the big match itself.
Football now saturates our screens so much that for me....the FA cup final is just another match. It's not even special in having it's own day where no other matches are played any more. I couldn't tell you who has even won it in the last few years.
The world cup was like all my christmases come at once - a month of watching the world's best players and that minuscule hope that England could do well.
For me - big international tournaments every year will just add to the saturation and my already dwindling interest in football as a result.
If they are to change anything - just make the selection process for the hosts less bent!
On one hand, I love the idea of there being more high-stakes international football that the country can get behind. And if it were to happen then I’m sure I’ll embrace it.
However, I can’t help but think that the thing that makes it such a special tournament is the fact that it is every 4 years. It has a ‘holy grail’ feel to it. If you don’t win it, you have to wait another 4 years - there’s no guarantee for any fan nor player that you’ll win it. That’s what makes each tournament feel so important and emotional.
World Cup years every 4 years have a historic feel to them. If someone brings up the years 2002, 2010, 1994 etc - I generally think about the fact it was a World Cup year. The element of nostalgia and emotional connection will likely be lost with a doubling of frequency.
But then again, I’m speaking as a fan. All of the above means absolutely nothing to FIFA and their balance sheet.
Its well documented that as an organisation they only make a profit 1 year out of every 4.
Sorry, but what on earth has it got to do with them? They’re not going to be spending their money to go around following the tournament every two years. And neither will be playing.
Man City pay 100 million for Grealish and then pay wages of 5 million a year in order for him to play for Man City. Shouldn't the FA or FIFA make some sort of contribution? That's without consideration to insurance premiums in case of injury, which must be huge.
Clubs have refused some players to travel due to Covid19 so maybe they'll start thinking about always doing it if FIFA take the piss like this.