PREM chiefs fear Fifa’s Club World Cup plan could scupper TWO successive seasons.
Fifa boss Gianni Infantino signalled he is open to another winter World Cup, potentially as soon as 2030, when Saudi Arabia are increasingly confident of landing the big prize.
GettyGianni Infantino’s plans for the Club World Cup have been blasted as “unacceptable”[/caption]
That would require another six-week mid-season break for domestic football, either in the November-December period utilised in Qatar or at the start of the year.
But the launch of the 32-team Club World Cup, which will feature potentially four or more Prem sides out of the 16 European competitors, has caused more concerns.
It is expected that Fifa will hold the first version of the new tournament, in 2025, as a test event for the following year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
That will become the norm and so a Saudi World Cup in 2030 would also mean a Saudi Club World Cup the previous year.
And if the Big Six were all involved in a tournament that would last at least three weeks, it would leave a huge hole in the Prem fixtures calendar.
One Prem insider said: “The lack of consultation by Fifa was really unacceptable.
“This plan wasn’t even on the original agenda for the Fifa Council meeting and it looked as if it was a reaction to the European Court ruling that spelled the end of Super League.
“But if there was a winter Club World Cup as well, that would be an outrage.”
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
Jamie Carragher added his voice to the discontent regarding the announcement.
The Liverpool legend fumed: “Like the ridiculous idea of the @FIFAWorldCup every two years, this is another one from Infantino.
“Players need rest at some point, they are getting treated like cattle.
“Fifa hate the Champions League and want something similar themselves.
“European clubs should boycott it.”
It has been suggested that Super League chief plotters Real Madrid have been promised as much as £50m per year for four seasons for signing up to the Club World Cup.
Other major European years have winter breaks of varying lengths, allowing space to reschedule games for clubs involved in the new event.
But the Prem schedule is based on 34 weekend dates and that will be hard to fit in if the big revenue drivers are overseas for a lengthy part of the campaign.