Premier League and EFL among European Leagues 'unanimously opposed' to FIFA plan to stage World Cups every two years

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 09/09/2021 at 16:12 GMT

The European Leagues, the body which oversees professional leagues on the continent, has confirmed its opposition to FIFA plans to hold biennial World Cups. "The Leagues will work together with the other stakeholders to prevent football governing bodies to take unilateral decisions that will harm domestic football," a statement released on Thursday read.

Members of the European Leagues, including the Premier League and the EFL, have confirmed they are “firmly and unanimously opposed” to plans to hold men’s and women’s World Cups every two years.

FIFA confirmed in May that it would conduct a feasibility study into biennial World Cups, while its president Gianni Infantino this week suggested that there were currently “too many meaningless matches” in the international calendar.

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Following a meeting of the European Leagues Board of Directors on Thursday, the body which acts on behalf of professional leagues across the continent released a statement condemning FIFA's proposals.

“On this occasion, the Leagues have firmly and unanimously opposed any proposals to organise the FIFA World Cup every two years,” the statement read.

“The Leagues will work together with the other stakeholders to prevent football governing bodies to take unilateral decisions that will harm domestic football which is the foundation of our industry and of utmost importance for clubs, players and fans across Europe and the world.

'Too many meaningless matches’ says Infantino as FIFA discuss World Cup every two yearstory

“New competitions, revamped competitions or expanded competitions for club and national team football both at continental level and/or at global level are not the solutions to the current problems of our game in an already congested calendar.

“The football calendar definitely requires the agreement of all stakeholders and can only be the result of a subtle balance between club and national team football and between domestic and international club football.”

Both the Premier League and EFL are represented on the European Leagues Board of Directors as are the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, the French LFP and several other leagues.

Their statement comes after the World Leagues Forum warned FIFA against attempting to “dilute the historical and traditional values” of the World Cup.

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