In 2021, two old controversial plans in the football world resurfaced: that the biggest European clubs come together in a private league (Superleague) and that the World Cup be held every two years instead of every four years. . Recall.
” I want a World Cup every two years. The current formula is outdated. It dates back to the 1930s, a time when participating teams often had to take the boat on long journeys before playing a tournament. This quote is from a president of the International Football Federation (FIFA). But not from the current FIFA boss, Gianni Infantino, defender of a biennial World Cup.
This statement is from his predecessor, Sepp Blatter. The Swiss, then freshly elected at the head of the body, had made these remarks on January 3, 1999 in the Swiss newspaper SonntagsBlick. And they had caused a scandal, forcing the person to backpedal quickly.
This exit, however, came a few weeks after a project for the Superleague of European clubs. Project carried in 1998 by the Italian company Media Partners and great fortunes, but aborted shortly after.
The resemblance between these events of the late 1990s and those of 2021 is disturbing. But the outcome is not the same. Because the Superleague almost saw the light of day in 2021. And the debate on the frequency of the World Cup remains relevant.
A stillborn Superleague?
On April 18, first of all, a storm hit the world of football: twelve major European clubs announced the creation of a private league, outside the classic football bodies. The Superleague brought together Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham (England), AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus Turin (Italy), Atletico de Madrid, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona ( Spain). It has to compete head-on with the UEFA Champions League, one of the most popular and lucrative competitions in the world.
Obviously not lucrative and popular enough in the eyes of the bosses of Real and Juventus, the two big promoters of the project. Especially in these times of Covid where football, like many other sectors, has been hit hard by lost revenue. In the program Chiringuito TV, Florentino Perez invokes in particular the absence of ticketing during the pandemic but also the disinterest of 16-24 year olds for the round ball. According to him, the situation of the sport-king would be catastrophic. ” We do this to save football », He swears.
A speech far from convincing many sports organizations and supporters, governments and other public figures. Faced with the outcry, the English clubs announce their withdrawal on April 20. The next day, the Superleague is put to sleep again. His defenders promise to return to the charge.
A World Cup every two years that divides
Florentino Perez still took advantage of the Superleague episode to address a tackle to national team competitions, invasive in his eyes. ” There are too many matches. There are even selection competitions that people are unable to name., he says. In life, you have to change. Football can’t go on like this anymore “.
An opinion shared by Arsène Wenger, the former Arsenal coach, among others. But whoever has become the Director of Development for World Football has a different analysis of what is behind the problem. ” What not to do is organize competitions at a discount, launches the Frenchman in the newspaper The team about his support for a World Cup every two years. Only offer the best to people. It is not the frequency of competitions that can be a problem, it is rather the lack of quality “.
On May 21, the Saudi Football Federation called for a feasibility study on a World Cup every 2 years. An idea that immediately aroused an outcry from a large part of European football, anxious to defend the interests of its national championships and its continental competitions (Euro, Champions League, etc.).
In October, in the face of the anger of representatives of the European confederation (UEFA), FIFA procrastinated. A virtual summit on the future of football has been called for December 20. No vote on this controversial reform has been scheduled. FIFA believes that a Biennial World Cup would bring in $ 4.4 billion.