March 19, 2024

FIFA wants positive feedback from fans about the World Cup every two years

FIFA wants positive feedback from fans about the World Cup every two years

According to a survey conducted by FIFA (President Gianni Infantino in the photo), many fans have a positive attitude towards the FIFA World Cup every two years.

picture:
GT

As part of the idea for the biennial World Cup, FIFA commissioned two independent companies to conduct surveys around the world. Big surprise: fans have to react positively to it.

Feedback on faster sequences of tournaments is mainly positive, according to FIFA. Accordingly, in the first online poll in July of 23,000 people from 23 countries and all over the world, a majority voted for the men’s World Cup, which will be held more frequently than every four years. The majority supports the two-year cycle proposed by FIFA last week.

However, FIFA stated that there are “significant differences between the so-called traditional and emerging football markets”. Opinions differed between generations. According to FIFA, younger fans are more open to the faster World Cup sequence than the older generation.

opinion poll

World Cup every two years – what do you think about that?

FIFA is currently conducting another worldwide survey with more than 100,000 participants in more than 100 countries.

World Cup every two years – can it go well?

FIFA Director Arsène Wenger and a number of former stars praised the idea and emphasized its merits. However, the majority express clear criticism – there is a growing concern about football boredom.



This is how coaches and club leaders react with criticism and gallows humor. “If you want to apply, you rarely make yourself a rarity,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said. He noted the already intense pressure on national players and also spoke of a “devaluation of the World Cup” if it were to be held more than every four years.

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Wenger has recently done his best to negate the burden argument. According to the Technical Advisory Group’s proposal, at least three of the five international match periods per year for two years will be abolished instead of the four-year World Cup cycle. After the tournaments – in unequal years the European Championship will be held, among other things – fixed breaks of 25 days should also be established.

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp is not enough. “At some point, someone has to understand that we can’t play without the players, which is the most important component of this great match,” said the former Bundesliga coach. “Those who think they are more important than the players – no one is more important than the players.” For the professionals of the big countries, the reform means “a big tournament every year”. “It’s just about the money,” said the 54-year-old, in the end. Players are simply traded. Gladbach coach, Adi Hütter, doubts the feasibility: “It’s almost no longer possible. It’s also about putting pressure on players, who often come back from international matches with injuries.”

The FIFA Council decides

The FIFA Council, made up of 37 members chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, can decide to change the match schedule as is. It also represents nine members of the fiercely opposed European Football Association. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had already threatened a boycott in an interview with The Times.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, center, informs the media during a press conference, at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, February 13, 2018 (KEYSTONE/Salvatore Di Nolfi)
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin threatens to boycott the World Cup if the tempo changes.

picture:
Keystone

The Confederation of South America, South America, also rejects reform plans. “The World Cup every two years could spoil the most important competition in the world, reduce its quality and undermine the exclusive character and existing standards,” CONMEBOL said after consultations. “The World Cup every two years would mean an overburden that would be virtually impossible to fit into the international competition calendar.”

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The current calendar in international football is valid until 2024, in Germany EM will be played that year. After the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico with 48 participants instead of 32 for the first time, the plan is to follow the next continental tournaments in 2027 before the World Cup is scheduled again in 2028. The host will be decided by the FIFA Congress, Who also waved through the implementation of the feasibility study for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

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