FIFA Have Plans For An Incredible 24-Team Club World Cup

FIFA are planning a major revamp to the Club World Cup format, and it would come at the expense of the Confederations Cup international tournament.

The competition was introduced in 2000, following on from the Intercontinental Cup which saw the champions of Europe and South America lock horns.

2005 is when it became a full scale competition in 2005, with the best teams in Asia, Africa, North America and Oceania coming into the fold.

Six or seven teams usually take part in the four-stage round, with Yokohama, Marrakech and Abu Dhabi the three premier locations for the tournament, which typically takes place in December each year.

Image: PA

However, the governing body are looking to shake things up by the time 2021 rolls around.

They are looking to have a 24-team tournament, held every four years a year prior to the World Cup.

Comprising of the very best teams across the globe, the current knockout format deployed would change to 24 teams being split into three groups of eight in a competition that would last 18 days.

Presently, only the champions of each confederation qualify - with the host nation's national league champions getting in as well.

Image: PA

But the revised format would see twelve European teams, five South Americans, two from Africa, two from Asia, two from North America and one from Oceania.

As Tancredi Palmeri has pointed out, several of Europe's elite would be involved if the plans were introduced imminently:

As exciting as it sounds, it seems not everyone is in favour - with the European Leagues president Lars-Christer Olsson claiming the top leagues are opposed.

"There is also talk about expanding the Club World Cup and we have serious reservations about that too," Olsson told The Times, as per The Independent.

"Fifa seems to be on an expansion drive. It's time people thought about the players - they need time to rest. It cannot just be money deciding how football should be organised."

Presently, the Club World Cup has been dominated by European sides - with only one of the last 11 winners coming from outside of Europe.

Real Madrid became the first club to win it back-to-back when they defeated Gremio in the UAE back in December

Topics: Football News, Football, FIFA, World Cup, Real Madrid

Josh Lawless

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