{"id":22999,"date":"2021-09-06T12:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T16:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22999"},"modified":"2021-09-08T15:01:39","modified_gmt":"2021-09-08T19:01:39","slug":"ceferin-expresses-grave-concern-at-fifas-plans-for-biennial-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22999","title":{"rendered":"Ceferin Expresses ‘Grave Concern’ At Fifa’s Plans For Biennial World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin (PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has again underlined his opposition to World Cups every two years, saying the tournament\u2019s rarity is its most attractive quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifa is holding a feasibility study into shortening the gap between men\u2019s and women\u2019s World Cups from four to two years, following a request from the Saudi Arabian federation in May which was approved by 166 national associations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceferin admitted in a letter to a fans\u2019 group last week to having \u201cgrave concerns\u201d at the plans, which have been endorsed by Fifa\u2019s head of global development Arsene Wenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Uefa chief said at the opening of the European Club Association (ECA) General Assembly on Monday: \u201cWe think that the jewel of the World Cup has value precisely because of its rarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHolding it every two years will lead to less legitimacy and dilute the World Cup itself. We think there is a space for everything and both national teams and clubs are fully occupying that physical and commercial space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceferin also highlighted his concerns over the impact on players, adding: \u201cThey don\u2019t need to see more of their summers spent on consuming tournaments rather than devoted to relaxing and recuperation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ECA chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi also called for \u201chonest engagement\u201d on the international match calendar and not \u201cunilateral decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifa president Gianni Infantino insisted the ECA clubs, and all of football\u2019s stakeholders, would be consulted but insisted there was overwhelming evidence for a need to alter the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are no taboo topics, the door of Fifa is open to any idea to any proposal,\u201d he said in a recorded address to the assembly. \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t take this consultation process as any sort of challenge, any sort of fight, as I\u2019ve been hearing here and there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is simply a way to try to make football, and global football, strong, and for this we need the help and the assistance of everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are, and we will be, approaching you and we hope we can find something which suits, of course, the European clubs but also the clubs from all over the world, the associations from all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infantino said that the events preceding and during the September international break highlighted the need for flexibility, citing the row over player release from European clubs to South American countries in particular, the \u201ccrazy\u201d suspension of the Brazil versus Argentina World Cup qualifier due to a quarantine issue and the coup in Guinea which forced that country\u2019s match against Morocco to be postponed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to try to find compromises,\u201d he said. \u201cThis September window has not been ideal, by far not \u2014 let\u2019s try to find a good compromise for October for November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be Fifa president, to be in Fifa, requires some flexibility, some adaptability, and you have to face some challenges for which you were not prepared and I want to ask you, humbly, to consider this as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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