A FIFA proposal to eventually hold World Cup tournaments every two years has been met negatively by individuals such as UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, the European Leagues group, players and some fans from around the world who have all said a biennial World Cup could oversaturate the market with international football and negatively impact domestic competitions.
According to Reuters (h/t ESPN), however, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told media members in Israel on Tuesday a biennial World Cup wouldn’t differ from yearly massive sporting events adored by spectators and by fans who watch on television.
“Definitely believe in having more prestigious events, whether the World Cup or anything else… Precisely because it is a magic tournament is perhaps why it should happen more often,” Infantino explained. “The prestige of an event depends on its quality, not its frequency. You have the Super Bowl every year, Wimbledon or the Champions League every year, and everyone is excited and waiting for it.”
Former Arsenal manager and current FIFA chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has repeatedly hailed biennial World Cup plans, and FIFA said last month one survey showed a majority of respondents approved of watching a World Cup every one, two or three years but preferred the two-year option of those three.
“There are considerable differences between the so-called traditional markets and the developing football markets; and younger generations in all regions are more open and interested in change than older generations,” FIFA said at that time.
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