Stuff Your Superleague.

[Satchmo Distel]

As I think Ursus noted above, FIFA has a vested interest in fucking over UEFA so Infantino will have been delighted by recent events. But what's the endgame - UEFA becomes a rubberstamping body (a powerless middleman) for decisions whose real source is FIFA plus the ESL clubs?

[blameless]

FIFA's been headed by grasping, amoral shitehawks for decades now, why would they let someone honest run the show?

[Mr Cogito]

Thoroughly intrigued as to how FIFA are collecting even a billion a year, let alone an "extra billion" a year, from that underwhelming and unwatched tournament?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I'm not sure I've ever watched a match in that tournament, and I watch a hell of a lot of football. If I haven't watched it, then I wonder who the fuck has?

[imp]

Thoroughly intrigued as to how FIFA are collecting even a billion a year, let alone an "extra billion" a year, from that underwhelming and unwatched tournament?

They're not - this refers to Infantino's revamped 24-team annual competition he tried to push through a couple of years back, and which in return would have sold off the future broadcasting and merchandising rights to all future World Cups to the (shady, unspecified) investors in one go. Fortunately, it was blocked - thanks mainly, if I recall, to Uefa delegates at one of their meetings. But Infantino is still nurturing it and looking for the opportunity to push it through.

[Hot Pepsi]

Why hasn't a world-wide champions league never taken off? Seems like an obvious thing to do. Is it just the travel? Inability for everyone to get along and figure out how to do it?

[ursus arctos]

The continental federations have hundreds of millions of reasons to thwart it. And there isn't a compelling sporting argument for it in the men's game; global talent is hovered up by European clubs in much the same way as it is by the NBA or NHL.

There is an argument for a European/North American competition for women's clubs (much as there were once good reasons for a European/South American competition among the men), and I would expect some version of that to happen in the next five years.

[Hot Pepsi]

I suppose. I guess I'm overestimating what the South American clubs could do in such a tournament.

[NHH]

As I think Ursus noted above, FIFA has a vested interest in fucking over UEFA so Infantino will have been delighted by recent events. But what's the endgame - UEFA becomes a rubberstamping body (a powerless middleman) for decisions whose real source is FIFA plus the ESL clubs?

As far as FIFA are concerned, that's exactly what UEFA should be. Infantino's such a cunt, and was known for it at UEFA. He sidled up to Platini, and invited him to be his kid's godfather, and then got appointed by Platini. The day he beat Johanssen for the UEFA Presidency in 2007 was a shitty one all-round.

[ursus arctos]

I wonder if Agnelli got the godfather idea from Infantino

[Discordant Resonance]

As far as FIFA are concerned, that's exactly what UEFA should be. Infantino's such a cunt, and was known for it at UEFA. He sidled up to Platini, and invited him to be his kid's godfather, and then got appointed by Platini. The day he beat Johanssen for the UEFA Presidency in 2007 was a shitty one all-round.

Said FIFA also want a biennial World Cup, which can get in the bin.

[Sporting]

Said FIFA also want a biennial World Cup, which can get in the bin.

Why?

[Discordant Resonance]

The format's already too bloated, one tournament would hardly be finished and qualifying would recommence, and there'd be no room for the Euros and/or other continental competitions in the international calendar.

[Sporting]

I would like every three years.

[ursus arctos]

I'm with DR.

Anything more frequent than every four years will effectively kill the Continental competitions, which have real value (and in the case of the Copa America, a longer history).

An although the continental federations are far from exemplary, there is value in there being some counterweight to FIFA, as the cautionary examples of the IOC and other worldwide federations demonstrate.

[caja-dglh]

FIFA likes Club Super League as it wants a Nations Super League World Cup format.

[ad hoc]

Absolutely. Every four years is good. More frequently is unnecessary and actually boring

[Sporting]

I see the opposing arguments, but every three years would seem to me to be a fair compromise, if nothing else to give the best players maybe one more career opportunity to play in one.

[ursus arctos]

At the expense of the continental championships?

I don't think that many European or South American players would make that trade.

[caja-dglh]

I see the opposing arguments, but every three years would seem to me to be a fair compromise, if nothing else to give the best players maybe one more career opportunity to play in one.

Why does there need to be a compromise? They have a defined rhythm.

[Sporting]

Other sports have world championships more regularly and yes, I think the WC is far more important than other football tournaments. But that's just me!

[Lang Spoon]

I really don't get the 3 year thing at all. International football is devalued enough as is.

[Kowalski]

Why don't we have a world cup every year? Each confederation can divide their members into quarters and everyone can qualify on a rotational basis.

To make things interesting the teams that qualify will be constrained by the brand new "Sizing Equilibrium Premium". In this brave new world there will be disparities between the sizes of the populations of the respective countries in a given match, therefore the country with the larger population will have their squad restricted to a proportion of their population that corresponds to the population size of their opponents. e.g. when Brazil play San Marino Brazil will have to limit their possible squad members to 35,000 ordinary everyday people from their general population.

To make it even more interesting the squad for the bigger country could be chosen via a televisual feast known as "All In For Infantino's Annual Giant FUN-FILLED Football Foam Party". To make things even more interesting they could limit the contestants in the lottery to the people that disdain football the most within each country or they could then choose a different squad for each match. The possibilities and chances of organised fun within certain parameters are almost literally endless.

This is how you spread football's message of hope to all corners of the known universe!

And on that bombshell, and with preparation for Wales 2035's bid fully at the forefront of my mind, I shall be visiting relevant planning departments with my plans to hollow out Llandudno's Great Orme so we can create the world's first 5 Star Underground stadium.

[Satchmo Distel]

Several of the teams in this year's Euros (nearly half?) would not have qualified for the World Cup so killing the Euros in favour of a biennial WC would surely be opposed by the majority of countries chasing the extra places the Euros provide. UEFA has also been quite skilled in giving carrots to its smaller members (the place that North Macedonia have filled this year).

[NHH]

So, the Government today announced the composition of their fan-led review. Given the chair is the Sports Minister, the Secretariat are civil servants, and with only one person there by dint of being an actual fan, this seems to stretch credulity.

The panel includes one guy - James Tedford - who is described as "...the former Secretary at Southport FC. He has an extensive knowledge of the football landscape and held a senior management position at Scottish Women’s Champions, Glasgow City FC where he led on match organisation for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

The dude may be amazing and perspicacious and totally grounded in the fan experience. The issue is that they've neglected that he's also employed by Chelsea FC. They've clearly thought 'let's not include that he's on the payroll for a Premier League club' tells me that the government recognise it's a shit-awful list.