UEFA warns FIFA to ditch World Cup PR campaign and start serious talks

European football federation UEFA has politely but firmly told FIFA to stop playing public relations games with the World Cup and focus seriously on redesigning a fit-for-purpose international match calendar.

This follows the attempt by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with the obedient support of development director Arsene Wenger, to promote the staging of football’s most prestigious event every two years instead of the current four-year cycle.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned that the region’s 55 member associations would boycott any such recalibrated World Cup. Opposition has also come from South America’s CONMEBOL – reversing its earlier support but Asia and central/north American confederations have sat on the fence.

Only Africa’s CAF, now strictly overseen out of FIFA’s Zurich headquarters, has expressed support.

European leagues, players, coaches and fans’ organizations have criticized the most contentious issue in what is supposed to be a worldwide feasibility study, though UEFA has complained that FIFA is yet to seek its opinion.

A lengthy statement of irritation and complaint from UEFA acknowledges the need for serious debate about a balanced calendar which reflects the essential need for balance between world, regional and domestic national team and club competitions.

It said that the future calendar “should be the subject of genuine consultation and exchange between FIFA, the confederations and key stakeholders of competitions [. . .] taking into account the interest of the game and the legitimate point of view of the different parties“.

“The respect for a consultation process with the stakeholders – which should be unbiased – would suggest abstaining from promotional campaigns of unilaterally pre-determined concepts that nobody has been given the possibility to see in detail and which have wide-ranging, often unexpected, effects,” read a statement from UEFA.

“On 14 September, UEFA and its 55 member associations asked FIFA to organise a special meeting with them to be able to voice their concerns on the impact of such plans.

“UEFA and its 55 member associations have to-date not yet received a reply from FIFA on this request.”

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