foreign footballMore than forty professional football leagues, united in the World Leagues Forum (WLF), have been highly critical of FIFA’s expansion plans. They call decisions on the international fixture schedule “detrimental to the football economy and player welfare”.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the reforms to the World Cup in Qatar on Friday. For example, the Club World Cup will be expanded from seven to 32 teams from 2025. In even-numbered years, FIFA also wants to use international matches for mini-tournaments with teams from different continents. It was previously decided that the World Cup, starting in 2026, would be played with 48 teams instead of 32.
“These decisions were taken unilaterally, without consultation, let alone approval, of those directly affected by them: the federations, their affiliated clubs, players and fans,” reads a statement from FIFA, which the Belgian Pro League refers to. Affiliate too.
“With the calendar already packed with national club competitions and a growing number of international competitions, FIFA’s decision risks crowded matches, more injuries to players and disrupting the balance of the competition. The football community does not benefit from FIFA’s backlog of matches,” the FIFA said, noting Astutely, only one percent of all professional footballers play in international matches under the auspices of FIFA.
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