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FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested the European Championship could take place every two years.
World football’s governing body FIFA’s push for a biennial World Cup as opposed to one every four years has been met with resistance from Europe and South America.
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And Infantino has said the Euros — which takes place every four years — could also happen more frequently should a move for a biennial World Cup be successful.
Asked what would happen to European football’s main international tournament in the case of a biennial World Cup, Infantino told Italian station Radio Anch’io: “The Euros would also take place every two years.
“In Europe there is resistance because there is a World Cup every week with the leagues and the best players in the world but that isn’t the case for the rest of the world: it’s a month a year and we need to find a way to truly include the whole world in football.”
Infantino added that the push for a biennial World Cup “is not my idea but FIFA’s — and a feasibility study has been requested by 166 nations.
“The presumptions are clear: 88% of countries, including the majority of those in Europe, have asked for the study and the study tells us that from a sporting point of view, a World Cup every two years would work: there would be fewer international matches but with a greater impact.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at a “global summit” of leaders of national football federations earlier this month that he believes he has enough votes to increase the frequency of the World Cup from every four years to two.
There has been opposition from European clubs, the top leagues and European governing body UEFA, whose president, Aleksander Ceferin, has threatened to boycott any additional tournament.