Better World Cup- depends on who you are asking
FIFA, the world football organization, has been pushing the “World Cup every two years” agenda in recent months – last month it brought the issue up for discussion.
As part of FIFA’s (Saudi-funded) campaign for the change in question, they conducted a survey among 30,390 people around the world, according to which 63.7% of sports fans are interested in seeing “more World Cups”. And Asia (66%), while in Europe only 48% were in favor of the World Cup every two years and in countries such as Germany, England and France only 10% were in favor.
However, according to a study by the European Football Association (UEFA) (conducted by the research company Oliver & Ohlbaum), the professional and financial implications of holding a World Cup every two years are enormous and have caused significant damage to football as a product and industry, Which will lead to a decrease in interest and viewing data; There will be cannibalization in the world of sports broadcasting rights and erosion of commercial interest of many companies – communications and commercial partnerships; There will be fewer qualifiers for the teams which will lead to less revenue from international games; Communication companies and sponsors will not invest the same money in high-frequency tournaments. ”
FIFA and UEFA can't see the full picture
According to a survey included in a study by Oliver & Ohlbaum, only 35% of world football fans believe that a World Cup every two years will be an improvement for the industry. In Europe, only 25% believe in the power of the World Cup every two years to improve football. 40% of the world fans said that a World Cup every two years would make them watch fewer knockout games; 30% of spectators claimed that it would lower the scope of their viewing of the Champions League and local leagues, and 60% believe that the prestige of the tournament will collapse. According to the study by Oliver & Ohlbaum, UEFA will lose billions (at least 2.5 billion euros between 2026 and 2030).
Another study was published this month showing that club football is expected to lose around 8 billion euros if the World Cup becomes a once-in-two-year event. The study, conducted at the request of the leagues in Europe, focuses on the five major leagues in Europe, the leagues in North America (MLS and the Mexican league), the largest Asian league – the Japanese J-league and the South African league.
According to the report, the 40 largest leagues in the world will lose about 5 billion euros a year in broadcasting rights alone. – something that will affect revenue from game days and commercial agreements.
And the most dangerous thing according to the study: the World Cup every two years poses a serious risk to the level of interest in the game.
Bottom line- more football tournaments take the edge of the game
François Godard, an analyst at Enders Analysis, told Reuters that “my main concern is that at some point, supply will simply collapse. The risk of a sharp drop in interest rates is huge, because you weaken your key product in football – the local leagues. If you change football and turns the World Cup into a once-in-two-year event, many of the games in the local leagues have to move to the middle of the week, many of the players will not be available for you due to congestion and injuries.”
In other words – when there is too much football, people just get off the game. According to Thesun.co.uk, In recent years, the Champions League rating has fallen by 35%. So UEFA changes format – to try and save a tournament where too many games are not always important, just make it – or at least part of it – uninteresting.
And not only local men’s leagues will lose a lot of money and interest. Women are also opposed to the proposal to double the number of World Cups for men, which will hurt their industry, which has grown rapidly in recent years.
FIFA, as in the case of hosting the World Cup in Qatar, goes against all common sense and commercial and professional interests. And it does so because of the foreign interests of a very rich and corrupt country.
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, says that every two years the World Cup will “give a chance” to countries that are not at the top of football. Leagues will stop sending their players to national teams and players will collapse under impossible physical and mental pressure – so no one will benefit from it.
Player's reactions to the Idea Of A World Cup Every 2 Years
Criticism wasn’t late to come from the players’ side as well.
“If you have it every two years it can start to be normal to play the World Cup and I want to say that is not normal. That it is something amazing that you will play maybe only one time in your life”.Robert Lewandowski took it in a different direction, mostly pointing out the enormous physical pressure that the players need to deal with already.
“Impossible for the body, for the mentality as well,” said Lewandowski, the player who many thought should have won the Ballon d’Or (including Messi himself).
He added, “If you want to play football for more than 10 years, you also need a break. It is impossible to play every two years in the World Cup”.Thierry Hanry, the former striker of the French national who participated in 7 major national tournaments, was quoted in an article written by Phillip Lahm, former world cup winner with the German national team:
“If you play that every two years, mentally it’s tough, I came out of them shattered mentally ”It is obvious that the majority of those who love the beautiful game are against this move.
