Fifa President Gianni Infantino is reportedly pressing hard with his plan to have a revamped Club World Cup, despite resistance from Europe. According to the Associated Press, Fifa’s revised proposal amends its initial plan to host a 24-team Club World Cup once every four years, and instead hold it annually.
An annual world club competition is unlikely to please European football’s governing body, Uefa, as the proposed tournament would challenge the supremacy of its hugely successful Champions League, which is also held every year. The new proposal and format for the proposed tournament will be discussed at the Fifa Council meeting in Rwanda on Friday, the report said.
Fifa’s plans to revamp the Club World Cup were first reported in April this year. World football’s governing body reportedly wants to replace the Confederations Cup with an expanded Club World Cup that would be held every four years in June from 2021 and last 18 days so that it does not affect the rest of the football calendar.
Fifa already has a Club World Cup held annually but it hasn’t been remotely as attractive to fans or sponsors as the Uefa Champions League. Clubs from Fifa’s six confederations take part in the Club World Cup, but the gulf in quality can be embarrassingly large and only sides from Europe or South America have ever won it.
With inputs from AFP
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