FIFA To Look Into Holding The World Cup Every Two Years Following Proposal

FIFA will look into the possibility of holding a World Cup every two years by carrying out a 'feasibility study'.

It comes after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation put forward a proposal for a study to be carried out on the impact playing a World Cup every two years would have on both the men's and women's game.

Following a meeting to discuss the proposal on Friday, a total of 166 national federations voted in favour of the idea, while just 22 voted against, according to journalist Tancredi Palmeri.

Yasser Al-Misehal, who is the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, explained their reasoning behind the proposal.

"We believe the future of football is at a critical juncture. The many issues that football has faced have now been further exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic," said SAFF president Yasser Al-Misehal.

"It is time to review how the global game is structured and to consider what is best for the future of our sport.

"This should include whether the current four-year cycle remains the optimum basis for how football is managed both from a competition and commercial perspective."

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, has called it an 'eloquent and detailed proposal'.

This isn't the first time the idea of a biennial World Cup has been suggested.

Back in 2018, Alejandro Dominguez, the president of the South American body, Conmebol, submitted a similar proposal at a FIFA congress in Rwanda, according to The New York Times.

Suggestions that rather than have a Nations League in between, a World Cup every two years would be a better fit.

"I always say we have to work together and never say 'no', I always say 'why not?'" Dominguez said.

"By saying that, we always will support an idea like that, or a proposal like we have done to FIFA, to do the World Cup every two years and not every four.

"Instead of having a Nations League in between, we can just go ahead every year and do a World Cup that is for everyone, for the players because at the moment sometimes they could play four World Cups if we move to a two-year cycle.

"If we stay with this format, many players could not play more than two."

PA

Rodriguez went on to state that in terms of economics, FIFA could 'make money, to give more money' in the grand scheme of things.

"We see an opportunity there and there is a proposal put forward to FIFA to take it over and say whether it is a global Nations League or is there an opportunity to play World Cup every two years.

"I would say there are many other solutions, we can move to Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America (without such a long wait). In terms of economics, I would say FIFA could make money, to give more money."

Thoughts on the World Cup being held every two years rather than four? Is it a good idea?

Let us know in the comments below.

Topics: SPORT, Football, World Cup

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@jackkenmare_