News: Club World Cup to Expand; Confederations Cup to End

Blondo · Mar 13, 2019

Grindel, who first opposed the CWC expansion, seems to have changed his tune.

https://www.dw.com/en/german-footba...f-dw-interview-after-25bn-question/a-47890316

About the Global NL:

Grindel said more groundwork was necessary and that it would not be voted on "for the foreseeable future".
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Blondo · Mar 13, 2019

https://apnews.com/8602ada7064c4a14b02a19c502220cdc

Europe: 8
South America: 6
Africa: 3
Asia: 3
CONCACAF: 3
Oceania: 1

That is if UEFA can keep their allocation down to 8 slots (IMO fewer slots would even be better). UEFA has also been pushing for solidarity payments, benefitting (smaller) clubs around the world instead of all the money going to a few elite clubs. Infantino OTOH wanted to reward the big clubs handsomely and most likely the Saudi-backed consortium would want a piece as well. I hope a huge chunk will be reserved for the solidarity payments.

In the first edition, South America would have six slots — one based on previous performances. Three each would go to teams from Africa, Asia and CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America. Oceania would get one representative. The confederations would decide their own qualification process, whereas now each continental champion qualifies for the Club World Cup.

The tournament would start with eight groups of three, with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals. Teams would play two to five matches over a maximum of 18 days.

“The principal objection of UEFA was related to their concerns on the calendar,” the FIFA document notes. “UEFA’s position was that any technical discussion on a new format and calendar for the FIFA Club World Cup could only take place once a new post-2024 coordinated international calendar had been agreed.”

According to FIFA, European officials argue that the Club World Cup would cause “foreseeable tensions with its clubs” because the African Cup of Nations and CONCACAF’s Gold Cup would be pushed into July and August, “causing serious interference with critical matches played by clubs for qualification to the European competitions, besides domestic duties.”

FIFA also noted European protests about the “uninterrupted sequence of official events in June/July depriving players of appropriate rest in a year” between the 2020 European Championship and the 2022 World Cup.

“All of these points were taken on board by FIFA and were considered by the other members of the task force, who felt that it was feasible to play the FIFA Club World Cup in June/July 2021,” the document from the world governing body states.

FIFA believes the proposed 24-team Club World Cup would “promote and grow football for the benefit of all confederations, member associations, leagues, clubs and fans.”

South America is eager to retain an annual December Club World Cup with the number of finalists doubling to 14 but FIFA concluded “this would impact the European domestic leagues on an additional weekend.”
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vancity eagle · Mar 13, 2019

Honestly what motivation do players have to play in this stupid expanded tournament ?

You've just played a long grueling season, you've just played champions league football, now another club competition for what purpose exactly ? Yeah finish all that and now play some joke competition that has absolutely no prestige.

At least with International football its something different to motivate you, being pride in your nation and patriotism.

I just dont see the motivation for another stupid club competition at the end of a long season.

I think plenty of players will opt out. I just dont see this taken seriously.

FIFA should stop trying to force this garbage down our throats and work on expanding the Confederations cup or Global Nations league. Instead they are doing the opposite. Fools.

jesta · Mar 14, 2019

looks like UEFA has no choice but to accept it, other confederations want this competition badly. it will provide them with what champions league provides UEFA, an (awful lot) of $€£

however, still unclear if it is going to be sold to foreign investors or not

fero · Mar 14, 2019

4 uefa
4 conmebol
4 conca
4 asia
4 africa
2 oceani and 2 host
"My continental champion team must be in", but OFC is a joke and the host need/deserve 2 spots of 24.

Nico Limmat · Mar 14, 2019

r0adrunner said: ↑

The CWC proposal was not designed to reduce inter-continental competition even though the Confed Cup would be lost because there was the proposed Nations League world finals to offer an arguably more meaningful global competition without encroaching on the WC's status.

I welcome the revamped CWC but regret the decision not to introduce NL world finals.
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The media keeps calling this expanded 2021 CWC a "pilot" which leads me to believe that Infantino is selling this as a direct swap for the Confederations Cup without further changes to the (apparently agreed) international calendar until 2024. He may then push for a permanent expanded CWC and the NL when the next segment of the international calendar is up for approval.

But if FIFA are introducing all these summer competitions they really have to take a firm stand against the biennial nation cups in CAF and C'CAF. Only a quadrennial edition (in even years) should get FIFA calendar protection.

Blondo · Mar 14, 2019

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/klub-wm-fifa-council-infantino-eca-fc-bayern-1.4368313

How much is Infantino's project worth without clubs from Europe? European clubs have told Infantino they will boycott the CWC.
And FIFpro also called Infantino out, including his expansion madness, the bloated 48 team World Cup.

celito · Mar 14, 2019

This is a complete fail. Do top players really want to give up vacation time to play in this tournament ? Think about it. At least with the CC you were playing for your nation, which is a bit different. Why would a top player want to spend off-season time in another club competition ? With the current format, at least for Europeans, it's just an inconvenient week in the middle of the season.

r0adrunner · Mar 14, 2019

I think it's important to realise that these changes are about growing the game outside UEFA.

I think that Global NL and CWC achieve that legitimately because they do not add to the fixture list, while the 48-team WC does not because it undermines the attractiveness of the competition, esp the groups of three.

vancity eagle · Mar 14, 2019

celito said: ↑

This is a complete fail. Do top players really want to give up vacation time to play in this tournament ? Think about it. At least with the CC you were playing for your nation, which is a bit different. Why would a top player want to spend off-season time in another club competition ? With the current format, at least for Europeans, it's just an inconvenient week in the middle of the season.
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exactly what I said.

I see absolutely no reason, no motivation for top players to play this tournament.

NONE.

They should scrap this and leave the Confederation Cup alone.

I for one never gave a damn about the CWC. Kind of a pointless tournament.

We all know what the top 2 clubs are going to be, its far more cut and dry than international soccer.

Nico Limmat · Mar 15, 2019

vancity eagle said: ↑

I enjoyed the confederations cup, a good appetizer for the world cup. Not enough world international competition, yet we see club competitions every year. This is a horrible move, and hopefully it is voted down.
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I see the proposed CWC expansion critically myself, but we don't get a lot of inter-confederation club games per year. Eight as it stands, seven if the hosts meets their confederation peers. That of course doesn't mean that some bloated mess is the answer.

vancity eagle said: ↑

We all know what the top 2 clubs are going to be, its far more cut and dry than international soccer.
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We do? You don't seem to follow the CWC but let me tell you the Libertadores winner is far from a shoo-in for the final these days. The interesting storylines in the CWC are not about the winner. It's what's happening with the others and the "attack" on South American club football.

That's one of my main issues with having 8-12 European clubs at the CWC. The other storylines are relegated to the group stage and generally the non-European clubs will be there in the role of the "Washington Generals" (to use a basketball analogy).

Paul Calixte · Mar 15, 2019

vancity eagle said: ↑

Honestly what motivation do players have to play in this stupid expanded tournament ?

You've just played a long grueling season, you've just played champions league football, now another club competition for what purpose exactly ?
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You mean, "you've just played champions league football, and then WCQ with your country, and then another club competition for what purpose exactly ?"

AlbertCamus · Mar 15, 2019

vancity eagle said: ↑

Honestly what motivation do players have to play in this stupid expanded tournament ?

You've just played a long grueling season, you've just played champions league football, now another club competition for what purpose exactly ? Yeah finish all that and now play some joke competition that has absolutely no prestige.

At least with International football its something different to motivate you, being pride in your nation and patriotism.

I just dont see the motivation for another stupid club competition at the end of a long season.

I think plenty of players will opt out. I just dont see this taken seriously.

FIFA should stop trying to force this garbage down our throats and work on expanding the Confederations cup or Global Nations league. Instead they are doing the opposite. Fools.
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The one time they did this - in Brazil in 2000 - the ManU players didn't take it very seriously.

Blondo · Mar 15, 2019

As expected the expansion was approved (despite opposition from Europe). Let's see if the ECA's boycott is an empty threat or not.

AlbertCamus · Mar 15, 2019

I imagine clubs will go, they just might not field their best players, or those players may treat it like friendlies. But we'll see, maybe it will be better than I expect.

Nico Limmat · Mar 15, 2019

Allocation of spots not yet set:
https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who...ntroduction-of-a-revamped-fifa-club-world-cup

HomietheClown · Mar 15, 2019

AlbertCamus said: ↑

I imagine clubs will go, they just might not field their best players, or those players may treat it like friendlies. But we'll see, maybe it will be better than I expect.
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They also may not make it mandatory to go like the early days of the Confederations Cup when Italy and Germany were like nah, no thanks.

Then they will just invite teams until someone says yes down the chain of winners/competitions.

Nico Limmat · Mar 15, 2019

Blondo said: ↑

As expected the expansion was approved (despite opposition from Europe). Let's see if the ECA's boycott is an empty threat or not.
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It will ultimately become a matter of money and what kind of income FIFA can generate. I don't see a way to stop this now.

HomietheClown said: ↑

They also may not make it mandatory to go like the early days of the Confederations Cup when Italy and Germany were like nah, no thanks.

Then they will just invite teams until someone says yes down the chain of winners/competitions.
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That's a distinct possibility, but if the funds are as high as advertised (hopefully from transparent sources) almost nobody will turn down the invitation.

Blondo · Mar 15, 2019

Nico Limmat said: ↑

It will ultimately become a matter of money and what kind of income FIFA can generate. I don't see a way to stop this now.
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https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-s...-cup-euro-clubs-confirm-boycott-idUKKCN1QW2CE

The boycott has been confirmed following the decision to expand the CWC.

Infantino shouldn't be trusted. FIFA's lawyers don't even trust him, especially after reviewing a proposal that would turn FIFA into an empty shell, selling off all the rights, including the rights to the World Cup, and allowing the investors to dump anything that isn't lucrative without having to give up any other rights they hold.

@Nico Limmat a recent reminder: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/klub-wm-fifa-council-infantino-eca-fc-bayern-1.4368313

GunnerJacket · Mar 15, 2019

Warning: Rant ahead!

So basically FIFA wanted to make more money off of the club brands they don't own or control. Because greed is what greed does. FIFA's ruining of the game continues, because even if this succeeds it will only serve to benefit a few of the already wealthy clubs while by default reducing the economic potential of other clubs. Not that FIFA and the supporters of this measure will care. This is, after all, a day and age where the money from global plastic fans is more valuable than the locals that actually attend the games.

F*** you, FIFA, and go rot in hell.

Nico Limmat · Mar 15, 2019

Blondo said: ↑

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-s...-cup-euro-clubs-confirm-boycott-idUKKCN1QW2CE

The boycott has been confirmed following the decision to expand the CWC.

Infantino shouldn't be trusted. FIFA's lawyers don't even trust him, especially after reviewing a proposal that would turn FIFA into an empty shell, selling off all the rights, including the rights to the World Cup, and allowing the investors to dump anything that isn't lucrative without having to give up any other rights they hold.

@Nico Limmat a recent reminder: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/klub-wm-fifa-council-infantino-eca-fc-bayern-1.4368313
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Clearly the (other, digital etc.) rights can't be sold off and the sources of funds have to be transparent. If these two conditions are met I see the ECA changing their tune if the money is right. And Saudi Arabia seem as eager as ever to rival Qatar and BeIn Sports. They may still pay quite an amount. FIFA rights or no rights.

HomietheClown · Mar 15, 2019

There's still a lot of time to iron out details and negotiate between now and the summer of 2021.
It makes them look kind of foolish to say they are boycotting in March 2019.

I am just glad I can officially say RIP Current Club world Cup format and Confederations Cup.

Blondo · Mar 15, 2019

Nico Limmat said: ↑

Clearly the (other, digital etc.) rights can't be sold off and the sources of funds have to be transparent. If these two conditions are met I see the ECA changing their tune if the money is right. And Saudi Arabia seem as eager as ever to rival Qatar and BeIn Sports. They may still pay quite an amount. FIFA rights or no rights.
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FIFA's lawyers didn't view it that way and UEFA/ECA fear Infantino won't shy away from backroom deals. So far Infantino hasn't exactly delivered on his transparancy promises. Also, the Qatar2022 expansion will cause even more disruption, with the winter World Cup already messing up the calendar, and ahead of that mess FIFA want to add an expanded CWC. That's really pushing it. Besides there are alternatives to the expanded CWC and the Saudis. @GunnerJacket's rant is a concern of mine too, along with a few other ones.

Paul Calixte · Mar 15, 2019

HomietheClown said: ↑

I am just glad I can officially say RIP Current Club world Cup format and Confederations Cup.
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On the Club World Cup: teams qualifying 3 years early will never stop being ridiculous, but it is what it is. And that first all-UEFA final will present a clean, definitive break from the old Intercontinental era (in the sense of the Final being a usual UEFA-CONMEBOL struggle for dominance - itself an archaic notion, to be fair).

On the Confed Cup: I'd love to be mad, but realistically, more people probably agree with your take about the Confed Cup being surplus to requirements (IMO Russia 2017 was a great tournament that got unfairly panned). Now that it is no longer, FIFA owes the world a replacement opportunity for NTs outside of Europe and Conmebol to face high-level competition outside of World Cup finals, i.e. a Global Nations League can't come soon enough.

vancity eagle · Mar 15, 2019

AlbertCamus said: ↑

I imagine clubs will go, they just might not field their best players, or those players may treat it like friendlies. But we'll see, maybe it will be better than I expect.
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They should send their reserve players.