UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said hoding a World Cup every two years would “kill football” and warned European countries could boycott the tournament.
“As far as I know, the South Americans are on the same page. So good luck with a World Cup like that. I think it will never happen as it is so much against the basic principles of football.” Ceferin said.
“To play every summer a one-month tournament, for the players it’s a killer. If it’s every two years it clashes with the women’s World Cup, with the Olympic football tournament.
“The value is precisely because it is every four years, you wait for it, it’s like the Olympic Games, it’s a huge event. I don’t see our federations supporting that.” Ceferin added.
Meanwhile former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended the idea of a World Cup and a European Football Championship organised every two years instead of four.
“The big idea, initially, is to group the qualifying matches on two international windows, in October and March, for greater visibility of the calendar, greater simplicity for the clubs, and less problems to solve for the selections.” Wenger said.
“The principle would be a grouping of qualifications, every year, and at the end of the season a major competition, World Cup or Continental Championship. Between the two qualifying windows, the player would stay at his club all year round,” Wenger added.
The former Brazilian striker Ronaldo is asked if he would have liked to have the opportunity to play a World Cup every two years, in order to have less uncertainty about his recurring injuries.
“I could have spent eight years without playing the World Cup, a competition that has enormous meaning for me. To have the most important competition every two years, that would be spectacular, really.” Ronaldo said.
