WC to change to biennial event?

2006-06-05 08:44

Singapore - A radical plan to restructure international football, prepared for top European clubs, envisages the World Cup being held every two years, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

The proposal, called "Grand Slam World", is part of a presentation commissioned by the G-14 grouping of European clubs - a collection of the 18 richest sides in Europe - by Hypercube, a Dutch consultancy.

Making the World Cup, which starts in Germany on Friday, a biennial event is the most radical of four options outlined in a 36-page presentation, the newspaper said.

Another option called "Grand Slam Euro" would see continental tournaments, such as the European championship, also held every two years, while a possible World Cup for clubs would be contested every four years.

A third option, under which weaker countries would have to pre-qualify for continental championships, would permit expansion of the lucrative European Champions League.

This is contested each year by Europe's top clubs, including many members of the G-14 which was formed in 2000 and kept its name when it added four more members two years later.

Members include Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich, but not Chelsea, bankrolled by Russian oil magnate Roman Abramovich and perhaps the richest club of all.

The biggest envisaged expansion of the Champions League would see 48 clubs playing 269 matches, compared with 32 clubs playing 125 matches under current arrangements, the newspaper said.

This could increase Champions League revenues by up to $775m a year, it said.

Such growth would be possible under both "Grand Slam" proposals by the abolition of qualifying matches for the World Cup and various continental championships.

The report said national teams in Europe would be split into three divisions, with the top 16 competing for the European championship.

The four worst performers would be relegated to the second division for the next championship two years later, with the four best second-tier teams correspondingly promoted to the elite grouping.

Europe?s representatives in the World Cup would be the 12 best performers in the European championship.

The presentation implies that this reorganisation could be in place by 2009, with the first biennial World Cup in 2012, the report said.

Hypercube consultant Pieter Nieuwenhuis was quoted as saying it was "early in the process" and that his company wanted "in time to invite the international football federations to chair a discussion process on restructuring international football".

The G-14 emphasised the proposals did not constitute G-14 policy and while the structure of the international calendar "could be improved to the benefit of federations, clubs and players", it had "no set view" on the best solution.

Fifa, world footballs governing body, had no comment while Uefa, the European body, reportedly said the proposals were "a direct assault on national teams".

- AFP