By Andrew Warshaw
April 18 – The inevitable backlash over possible plans to turn the 2022 World Cup into a 48-team event has kicked into gear with the body that represents Europe’s top leagues saying it will vehemently oppose such a concept.
Lars-Christer Olsson, CEO of the 32-member European Leagues, formerly known as the European Professional Football Leagues, says the idea, supported by Gianni Infantino and adding 16 teams, 16 extra games and four days to the tournament in Qatar, is a non-starter.
“We are not prepared to make any changes on the calendar for expanding the 2022 World Cup,” Olsson told The Times newspaper implying that players could be refused permission to play in the tournament which, uniquely, takes place in November in the middle of the European season.
At Infantino’s behest, FIFA voted in January to expand the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 for 2026, but the South American confederation CONMEBOL have now asked for that to be brought forward to 2022 and Infantino is seemingly receptive to the idea even though it would impact heavily on Europe’s league programme.
FIFA could decide on the expansion plan for 2022 during its upcoming Congress in June but Olsson says leagues “have already been flexible to allow the World Cup to be played in the (Qatari) winter and have agreed the dates.”
“It’s impossible,” he told Reuters of the expansion plan. “It’s already a break in the season for the most important leagues of the world, in Europe and it doesn’t make sense. I’m a bit surprised that proposals are presented this way. The reform of FIFA was among other things to establish it as an organisation where there was proper stakeholder information and consultation.
“There are bodies organised for that purpose so it’s strange to have ideas popping up like this.”
It has also been widely reported that a number of companies are interested in expanding the Club World Cup from its current eight-team format to 24 teams and this, too, riled Olsson.
“FIFA seems to be on an expansion drive. It’s time people thought about the players – they need time to rest. It cannot just be money deciding how football should be organised,” he said.
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