'I'm not having this!' - Jamie Carragher instantly rejected FIFA request about World Cup

Jamie Carragher immediately a rejected a request he received from FIFA after being involved in a World Cup call, he has revealed.

The world football governing body have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons after Gianni Infantino's World Cup plan backfired and there were growing calls for him to step down from position as president.

A number of countries have withdrawn their support of the Swiss ahead of the re-election in March 2027 following on from the unveiling of plans for selling the shares in FIFA's commercial and events operations, including the World Cup.

Carragher, who played 737 times for Liverpool and represented England on 38 occasions, spoke about his own experiences with FIFA.

In an appearance on the Football Ramble podcast, the Sky Sports pundit revealed that he had spoken to former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, and ended up on a Zoom with ex players discussing the World Cup taking place every two years.

While Carragher engaged in conversations about the idea, he did not say whether or not he liked it - even though he was strongly against it in his head.

READ MORE: Gianni Infantino takes drastic action as FIFA president accused of 'blackmail'

The 48-year-old was left stunned when he received a message from the organiser of the call asking him to put something out backing the proposal and rejected it instantly.

Carragher explained: "I had a little chat with Arsene Wenger. He was getting involved with FIFA and it was all around this World Cup being every two years.

"He said, 'I'd like you to come on this other call with other ex players and we're going to chat about the ideas going forward'. I'm like, 'Brilliant, amazing'.

"We get on this Zoom and it wasn't just English players. It was like [Javier] Mascherano, there were foreign players from all over the world.

"They're basically talking about the pros of a World Cup every two years. I'm just listening, asking questions. I don't like the idea.

"We finish this Zoom. I haven't said whether I don't like it or it shouldn't happen, I'm just chatting with these ex players.

"And the guy who was organising the Zoom, then text me and said, 'Okay, can you put this out?' - like supporting it. I was like, 'No, no, no'.

"Just because I came on the Zoom... I don't agree with and I don't want it. I think it's rubbish.

"This feeling of 'Once you're in here with us and you're on this Zoom, we're all these ex players and we're in. That was my insight into it with Wenger and Infantino above him, with getting all these ex players in and like, 'This makes us look okay'. Half of these ex players, they don't care.

"From that, I was like, 'I'm not having this at all'.

Latest on 2030 World Cup plans as FIFA push ahead

Plans for the proposal have not accelerated, with the World Cup remaining every four years. However, changes to the tournament have been made and for the first time ever, the 2026 edition featured 48 teams and an extra knockout round.

There are strong reports indicating that FIFA are looking to expand the tournament further to 64 teams by the time the 2030 showpiece - the 100th anniversary of the World Cup - takes place.

The Guardian say that research analysis on the next increase of nations will be delivered in September following a four-week period of consultation.

Both UEFA and CONCACAF are against the plans but CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez is very much in favour.

The 2030 World Cup is being co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain but there will also be games in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark the centenary.