Topic: Club World Cup Revamp

[Samie]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-fifa-club-exclusive/exclusive-qualifying-for-new-club-world-cup-would-take-place-over-four-seasons-idUKKBN1HK1WY

FIFA has proposed that a revamped and enlarged version of the Club World Cup, planned to start in 2021, would include all European champions, runners-up and Europa League winners from the four seasons up to and including the year of the event.

The new tournament would be held every four years instead of annually, would feature 31 matches and would need to generate between $650 million and $1 billion in revenue to be commercially viable, according to proposals put forward in a FIFA document seen by Reuters.

Aside from the European teams, there would be four or five from South America, none or one from Oceania and two each from Asia, CONCACAF and Africa.

They would be divided into eight groups of three with the group winners progressing to the knockout stage.

The last four winners of Europe’s Champions League would all qualify along with the runners-up and the previous four winners of the second-tier Europa league.

The four most recent winners of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League, would also take part.

The document said that “it is crucial that all participating clubs are qualified based on sporting merit.”

If the same team qualified more than once, a replacement would be chosen using a coefficient system.

The plan runs the risk that a team which qualifies three years ahead of the event could potentially suffer a decline in the intervening period.

In theory, a team could even be relegated in the meantime and, although that would be highly unlikely in Europe, it is a possibility in South America where teams break up very quickly.

Play-offs would be held to determine which two of the previous four African, Asian and CONCACAF champions would qualify.

The document, presented to the FIFA Council meeting in Bogota in March, said that June-July 2021 would a “suitable time” to hold the first version of the tournament.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that he wants to change the format of the competition which is currently held every year with seven teams but has not given further details.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Infantino is a much of a blight on the game as Blatter was.

[Samie]

So he's a bald fraud?

[PhaseOfPlay]

So he's a bald fraud?

Bald Fraud

Baud

Bod.

[4pool]

Stupid idea.

All about the money.

[Caligula?]

Honestly, who even cares about the FIFA Club world cup?

[Iska]

I’ve been saying for years that they should do this - the big clubs are halfway towards it anyway with their various pre-season competitions - but typically they’ve got the format all wrong.  Old-style pre-1974 World Cup format, 16 teams, three-week tourney every other year, host the whole thing in a small geographical area, cut down on the pageantry. That’d work fine.

[PaulF]

Damn, I thought this was going to be about clubworld ditching lansons as preferred quaffe.

[rafathegaffa83]

Honestly, who even cares about the FIFA Club world cup?

Yep. Stupid idea

[Billy The Kid]

Honestly, who even cares about FIFA?

Fixed it for you

[drmick]

Wouldn't the European clubs get more money by doing there own tours?

If this did generate more income I'd say they will sign up for it. Not many will take it too seriously I'd guess.

[Riquende]

Honestly, who even cares about the FIFA Club world cup?

Isn't that a reason why it should be revamped?

In theory I like this idea, but it's got serious drawbacks - too many teams probably, and also the players involved are likely going to be at World Cups, Euros etc so when do they get a full summer break? A club's preseason plans could well be ruined if they're the most recent qualifier - imagine winning the CL in May then getting told you're off to wherever for a possible 6 match tournament a few weeks later?

[b_joseph]

Honestly, who even cares about the FIFA Club world cup?

The Spanish teams seem to take it quite seriously.

Every 4 years gives it a better chance of being more worthwhile than doing what they currently do.

[Brian Blessed]

Not just the expansion, but another new competition. FIFA must need the money.

Fifa set to meet over $25bn offer to launch two tournaments

[jackh]

The last four winners of the Champions League:

Real Madrid (17)
Real Madrid (16)
Barcelona (15)
Real Madrid (14)

The last four runners-up:

Juventus (17)
Atleti (16)
Barcelona (15)
Juventus (14)

So that's eight spots occupied by just 4 teams.  Other sides reaching the semi's in those four years have been Monaco (17), City & Bayern (16), and Chelsea (14).


The last four winners of the Europa League:

United (17)
Sevilla (16, 15, 14)

That's four occupied by 2 teams.  Finalists have been Ajax (17), us (16), Dnipro (15), and Benfica (14).


Could get confusing...

[kopite321]

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-invited-play-new-fifa-14663712

[DonkeyWan]

"The 24 clubs would share a pot of $2 billion (about £1.5 billion), with the winner earning as much as £100 million and a guaranteed minimum £50 million.

The new Club World Cup would replace the low-profile annual event that takes place in December and FIFA would also scrap the Confederations Cup, to ease fears that it would mean more demands on the top players."

Holy shit that's a lot of money for old rope.

[Living Legends]

"The 24 clubs would share a pot of $2 billion (about £1.5 billion), with the winner earning as much as £100 million and a guaranteed minimum £50 million.

The new Club World Cup would replace the low-profile annual event that takes place in December and FIFA would also scrap the Confederations Cup, to ease fears that it would mean more demands on the top players."

Holy shit that's a lot of money for old rope.

Crazy amount of money 

[CraigDS]

Are they still looking for it to take place mid-season? Or in the summer?

[sms1986]

Are they still looking for it to take place mid-season? Or in the summer?

If it goes ahead, they're planning for the first one to be in June 2021.

[kopite321]

Let the fuming begin... across the park and in parts of Manchester and London..   :-)

[CraigDS]

If it goes ahead, they're planning for the first one to be in June 2021.

That seems a stupid time to do it, as not sure when players are meant to have any time off. Would be better to do it in the July and at least that way players can have time off after the season.

[sinnermichael]

Can't believe Spurs haven't been invited. After all, they've finished above us in 8 of the last 10 seasons.

[clinical]

Sounds great if they can move it to July. Basically have it for pre season.

The Ev and Spurs will be furious with this.

[JackWard33]

Cool

[duvva 💅]

If it goes ahead, they're planning for the first one to be in June 2021.

From what I read a few weeks ago the intention was to hold it every 4 years in either June or July, I take it they decided on June. It should involve the 4 Champions League winners from each period, bizarre format/idea but it’s all about making money which is something the current tournament doesn’t really do particularly in Europe.

[jackh]

There's been some discussion about the new competition structure in the General Sport area...

I had some questions myself about the qualification system, which proposes 12 UEFA teams:

The last four winners of the Champions League:

Real Madrid (17)
Real Madrid (16)
Barcelona (15)
Real Madrid (14)

The last four runners-up:

Juventus (17)
Atleti (16)
Barcelona (15)
Juventus (14)

So that's eight spots occupied by just 4 teams.  Other sides reaching the semi's in those four years have been Monaco (17), City & Bayern (16), and Chelsea (14).


The last four winners of the Europa League:

United (17)
Sevilla (16, 15, 14)

That's four occupied by 2 teams.  Finalists have been Ajax (17), us (16), Dnipro (15), and Benfica (14).


Could get confusing...

[clinical]

It would cover a lot of the anfield road redevelopment 

[CraigDS]

There's been some discussion about the new competition structure in the General Sport area...

I had some questions myself about the qualification system, which proposes 12 UEFA teams:

That qualification doesn't appear to be what they are proposing.

[TheShanklyGates]

What a load of bollocks.

[Zoomers]

Sounds great if they can move it to July. Basically have it for pre season.

The Ev and Spurs will be furious with this.

If they're paying big money then surely they'd want everyone fit and ready? Having it for pre-season will reduce how competitiveness it is I feel.

[duvva 💅]

That qualification doesn't appear to be what they are proposing.

No, the latest seems to be, you’re invited if you’ve won 3 big ears but perhaps that’s just to kick things off and then the proposed format will kick in in 2025? Although as pointed out they’ll need to clarify how it works where teams have been in consecutive finals or won more than one.

[CraigDS]

If they're paying big money then surely they'd want everyone fit and ready? Having it for pre-season will reduce how competitiveness it is I feel.

Having it in June would mean clubs carry on training from the end of their domestic season (so for us early to mid-May) and then allow players to go on a rest after the tournament, and then do pre-season - which means they miss/not fit for the start of the domestic league.

No club is going to pic this comp over the domestic league, so they'll end up giving players time off, playing weakened sides, giving time off before the tournament so players aren't fit, etc.

[CHOPPER]

Where are the Ev in the list?

[KillieRed]

FIFA love a junket, don`t they?

[Jake]

Sounds like an awful idea. Hope it fails.
Expanding the club world cup slightly, maybe to the finalists in all the continental competitions, could maybe work. Yeah the Europeans would dominate but would give more exposure to the others.

[Dench57]

load of shite, fuck off FIFA

[rafathegaffa83]

That seems a stupid time to do it, as not sure when players are meant to have any time off. Would be better to do it in the July and at least that way players can have time off after the season.

Seems like it would effectively replace pre-season tours then

[CraigDS]

Seems like it would effectively replace pre-season tours then

Pretty much. You could hold it slightly later than a normal tour so players are fitter and games more competitive I guess, but only way I can see it working personally.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

I'm all for this if it means we don't ever have a European Super League.

I'm all against this if this is a gateway towards that.