The International Football Association (FIFA) is resolutely pursuing its plan to change the structures of world football far-reaching.
On Monday, the world association announced that it would debate its plan, which is particularly controversial in Europe, to host the football World Cup every two years with its member associations on September 30th.
“There is a broad consensus within football that the international match calendar should be reformed and improved,” FIFA wrote in its statement.
The summit, which will take place online, is one of several opportunities to have “a constructive and open debate at global and regional level” over the coming months, which FIFA “looks forward to with confidence”. The world association announced that it would also involve representatives from players, clubs, leagues and the confederations in the process. With this step, according to FIFA, a "new phase of consultation" has been initiated.
The President of the European Football Union (UEFA), Aleksander Ceferin, immediately threatened a World Cup boycott following the FIFA plans published on 9 September and demanded a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In response to the criticism from UEFA and the German Football Association (DFB) that they had previously only been informed about the project via the media, the world association responded in its communication by pointing out that it claimed responsibility for this issue. "As this is a football project where the global interests of football must come first, this process started with players and coaches from all over the world," said FIFA. "Fans from all over the world would also be involved in the debate."
The DFB had complained that initially “so-called FIFA legends” and not its own council members had been consulted. The international game calendar for women and men will expire at the end of 2023 and 2024 respectively.