Photo: Paolo Bruno / Getty Images
For: EFE
Photo: Paolo Bruno / Getty Images
For: EFE
Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, defended the celebration of the World Cup every two years for, among other reasons, “not to lose the young people” who need encouragement so as not to disengage football, after the summit with 207 member associations in which a new international calendar was discussed this Monday.
FIFA presented in the same a feasibility study on his proposal, which includes that the World Cup be played every two years, and at its conclusion Infantino announced that has not yet been taken a final decision and that may not be made in March either , when the annual congress of the organization he presides over takes place in Doha.
While reaching that point, he dismembered the causes for which it would be interesting for the whole planet soccer organize a World Cup c every two years . One of them would be focused on young people, who with less time between each World Cup, in their opinion, would become more hooked on football.
“Otherwise We want to lose the youth of football, we have to offer them possibilities to excite them. There is nothing like a World Cup every two years for this. A survey has been done and the younger generation wants a World Cup more often after more than 100. 04 votes ”, he said.
In addition, he said that a new calendar would be “viable” from an economic and sporting point of view and interesting to “invest” more money in football and in turn “reinvest” in its development throughout the world.
“It is a very important project that will help close the gap Cha between those who have and those who don’t. Everyone would benefit, the great, the small, the rich and the poor. Everyone would have additional possibilities to play and have additional income protecting leagues and thinking of fans. This is what has been presented today ”, he clarified.
Infantino stated that today the 70 percent of the national teams’ income is in Europe and the 30 in the rest of the world. With the FIFA proposal, he noted, the percentages would equalize up to 60 – 32 without prejudice to Europe because it would win 2. 000 million euros more than with the 60 current percent.
Asked if the World Cup would lose prestige and interest when played every two years instead of every four, defended that that prestige does not depend on the time it takes to organize between one and the other , but other more important factors.
“The prestige of the World Cup is absolute. It does not depend on its frequency. If not, it would have to be played not every four, every 40 years and would be ten times more prestigious. A World Cup is prestigious for the quality it has and for the global impact. 4.000 Millions of people watch the World Cup and studies show us that there would be no problem ”, he pointed out.
Regarding the rejection expressed by UEFA and CONMEBOL to the Infantino initiative, he pointed out that “they are opposed because they did not know the data presented today” ; He was “sure” that “now they will reconsider and support the project without fissures” and detailed the concerns that the South American member federations conveyed to him.
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