Imagining himself as a peacemaker in a conflict-ridden part of the world, FIFA President Gianni Infantino sees a 2022 World Cup shared by Qatar with its Gulf detractors, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as the magic wand that would turn bitter foes into brothers.

It may be a nice idea, but it is grounded in the fiction that football can play an independent role in bringing nations together or developing national identity.

The fiction is that football has the potential to be a driver of events, that it can spark or shape developments. It is also the fiction that sports in general and football, in particular, has the power to build bridges.&nbsp;

Infantino’s assertion that if foes play football, bridges are built is but the latest iteration of a long-standing myth.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Football is an aggressive sport. It is about conquering the other half of a pitch. It evokes passions and allegiances that are tribal in nature and that more often than not divide rather than unite.

In conflict situations, football tends to provide an additional battlefield. Examples abound.

The 2022 World Cup; this year’s Qatari Asian Cup victory against the backdrop of the Gulf state’s rift with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt; the imprint the Palestinian-Israeli conflict puts on the two nations’ football; or the rise of racist, discriminatory attitudes among fans in Europe.

The Bad Blue Boys, hardcore fans of Dinamo Zagreb’s hardcore fans, light candles each May and lay wreaths at a monument to their comrades who were killed in the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s. They mark the anniversary of a riot during the 1990 match against Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, their club’s most controversial match, as the first clash in the wars that erupted a year later and sparked the collapse of former Yugoslavia.

The fact of the matter is that sports like ping pong in Richard Nixon’s 1972 rapprochement with China or the improvement of ties between North and South Korea in the most recent Summer Olympics served as a useful tool, not a driver of events.

Sports is a useful tool in an environment in which key political players seek to build bridges and narrow differences.

The impact of football in the absence of a conducive environment created by political not sports players, is at best temporary relief, a blip on an otherwise bleak landscape.

The proof is in the pudding. Legend has it that British and German soldiers played football in no-man’s lands on Christmas Day in 2014, only to return to fighting World War One for another four years. Millions died in the war.

Similarly, Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites poured into the streets of Iraqi cities hugging each other in celebration of Iraq’s winning in 2007 of the Asia Cup at the height of the country’s sectarian violence only to return to killing each other a day later.

Football’s ability to shape or cement national identity is no different. In other words. football can be a rallying point for national identity but only if there is an environment that is conducive.

The problem is that football and the formation of national identity have one complicating trait in common: both often involve opposition to the other.

That is nowhere truer than in the Middle East and North Africa where football has played and plays an important role in identity formation since it was first introduced to the region in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Qatar has been in some ways the exception that proves the rule by plotting its sports strategy not only as a soft power tool or a pillar of public health policy but also as a component of national identity. That element has been strengthened by the rift in the Gulf and bolstered by this year’s Asian Cup victory.

Qatar’s efforts to strengthen its national identity benefits from the fact that the Gulf state no longer operates on the notion that Gulf states have to hang together. Today it's hanging on its own in conflict with three of its neighbours.

Soccer’s role in identity formation in the Middle East and North Africa was often because it was a battlefield, a battlefield for identity that was part of larger political struggles.

Clubs were often formed for that very reason. Attitudes towards the country’s monarchy in the early 20th century loomed large in the founding of Egypt’s Al Ahli SC and Al Zamalek SC, two of the Middle East and North Africa’s most storied clubs.

Clubs in Algeria were established as part of the anti-colonial struggle against the French. Ottoman and Iranian rulers used sports and football to foster national identity and take a first step towards incorporating youth in the development of a modern defense force.

Zionists saw sports and football as an important way of developing the New Jew, the muscular Jew. To Palestinians, it was a tool in their opposition to Zionist immigration. And finally, football was important in the shaping of ethnic or sub-national identities among Berbers, Kurds, East Bank Jordanians and Jordanian Palestinians.

In other words, football was inclusive in the sense of contributing to the formation of a collective identity. But it was also divisive because that identity was at the same time exclusionary and opposed to an other.

The long and short of this is that football is malleable. Its impact and fallout depend on forces beyond its control. Football is dependent on the environment shaped by political and social forces. It is a tool that is agnostic to purpose, not a driver or an independent actor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Imagining himself as a peacemaker in a conflict-ridden part of the world, FIFA President Gianni Infantino sees a 2022 World Cup shared by Qatar with its Gulf detractors, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as the magic wand that would turn bitter foes into brothers.

Imagining himself as a peacemaker in a conflict-ridden part of the world, FIFA President Gianni Infantino sees a 2022 World Cup shared by Qatar with its Gulf detractors, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as the magic wand that would turn bitter foes into brothers. It may be a nice idea, but it is grounded in the fiction that football can play an independent role in bringing nations together or developing national identity. The fiction is that football has the potential to be a driver of events, that it can spark or shape developments. It is also the fiction that sports in general and football, in particular, has the power to build bridges. Infantino’s assertion that if foes play football, bridges are built is but the latest iteration of a long-standing myth. Nothing could be further from the truth. Football is an aggressive sport. It is about conquering the other half of a pitch. It evokes passions and allegiances that are tribal in nature and that more often than not divide rather than unite. In conflict situations, football tends to provide an additional battlefield. Examples abound. The 2022 World Cup; this year’s Qatari Asian Cup victory against the backdrop of the Gulf state’s rift with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt; the imprint the Palestinian-Israeli conflict puts on the two nations’ football; or the rise of racist, discriminatory attitudes among fans in Europe. The Bad Blue Boys, hardcore fans of Dinamo Zagreb’s hardcore fans, light candles each May and lay wreaths at a monument to their comrades who were killed in the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s. They mark the anniversary of a riot during the 1990 match against Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, their club’s most controversial match, as the first clash in the wars that erupted a year later and sparked the collapse of former Yugoslavia. The fact of the matter is that sports like ping pong in Richard Nixon’s 1972 rapprochement with China or the improvement of ties between North and South Korea in the most recent Summer Olympics served as a useful tool, not a driver of events. Sports is a useful tool in an environment in which key political players seek to build bridges and narrow differences. The impact of football in the absence of a conducive environment created by political not sports players, is at best temporary relief, a blip on an otherwise bleak landscape. The proof is in the pudding. Legend has it that British and German soldiers played football in no-man’s lands on Christmas Day in 2014, only to return to fighting World War One for another four years. Millions died in the war. Similarly, Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites poured into the streets of Iraqi cities hugging each other in celebration of Iraq’s winning in 2007 of the Asia Cup at the height of the country’s sectarian violence only to return to killing each other a day later. Football’s ability to shape or cement national identity is no different. In other words. football can be a rallying point for national identity but only if there is an environment that is conducive. The problem is that football and the formation of national identity have one complicating trait in common: both often involve opposition to the other. That is nowhere truer than in the Middle East and North Africa where football has played and plays an important role in identity formation since it was first introduced to the region in the late 19th and early 20th century. Qatar has been in some ways the exception that proves the rule by plotting its sports strategy not only as a soft power tool or a pillar of public health policy but also as a component of national identity. That element has been strengthened by the rift in the Gulf and bolstered by this year’s Asian Cup victory. Qatar’s efforts to strengthen its national identity benefits from the fact that the Gulf state no longer operates on the notion that Gulf states have to hang together. Today it's hanging on its own in conflict with three of its neighbours. Soccer’s role in identity formation in the Middle East and North Africa was often because it was a battlefield, a battlefield for identity that was part of larger political struggles. Clubs were often formed for that very reason. Attitudes towards the country’s monarchy in the early 20th century loomed large in the founding of Egypt’s Al Ahli SC and Al Zamalek SC, two of the Middle East and North Africa’s most storied clubs. Clubs in Algeria were established as part of the anti-colonial struggle against the French. Ottoman and Iranian rulers used sports and football to foster national identity and take a first step towards incorporating youth in the development of a modern defense force. Zionists saw sports and football as an important way of developing the New Jew, the muscular Jew. To Palestinians, it was a tool in their opposition to Zionist immigration. And finally, football was important in the shaping of ethnic or sub-national identities among Berbers, Kurds, East Bank Jordanians and Jordanian Palestinians. In other words, football was inclusive in the sense of contributing to the formation of a collective identity. But it was also divisive because that identity was at the same time exclusionary and opposed to an other. The long and short of this is that football is malleable. Its impact and fallout depend on forces beyond its control. Football is dependent on the environment shaped by political and social forces. It is a tool that is agnostic to purpose, not a driver or an independent actor. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The fallacy of football's magical bridge-building qualities

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body will consider changing the rules over the transfer of minors after Premier League Chelsea were hit with a transfer ban.

Chelsea were banned last week from signing anyone in the next two transfer windows after being found guilty of breaching FIFA’s rules relating to signing overseas players under the age of 18.

FIFA's rules say players aged 18 or under can only be transferred abroad if one of three criteria are met: if their parents emigrated for non-footballing reasons, both clubs are in the EU or European Economic Area and the player is aged between 16 and 18 or the player lives within 100km of the new club.

Clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have also received transfer bans in recent years after falling foul of the rules and Infantino, speaking at a news conference in Rome, said the regulations should be subjected to renewed scrutiny.

“There are rules, regulations, whether we like them or not they have to be respected as long as they are there,” he said.

“Otherwise if we don’t like them we need to change them... Maybe we should raise the minimum age all over Europe, or we should allow certain exceptions based on certain clear criteria, for young boys or girls to be able to have good training conditions in other parts, but protecting the minors.

“This is our main priority so it is certainly an area that we have to look into and continue looking into in the future as well."

Infantino, who was elected in February 2016, also said that FIFA intends to review regulations over the activity of football agents.

“We are planning to revisit the regulations governing agents because we feel it’s necessary to fine-tune those rules,” he said.

“Today the economic flow involved in transfers is about 8 billion euros ($9.10 billion) a year without considering the money paid to the footballers.

“So I think it would only be fair for those involved in these transfers to be regulated, their profession clearly needs to be governed. All other professions are governed and disciplined in Italy and throughout the world so why not them?"

Infantino said agents were subjected to tighter rules in the United States.

“Look at what happens in the USA. Often the USA is taken as an example but the USA is the homeland of the free market of laissez-faire. Everything is open, people do whatever they want. But these professions are regulated in a very stringent way.

“You’ve got huge volumes and books that govern transfers and changes in clubs and agents. We’ve got these slim booklets here in Europe and in FIFA so we’ve got a bit of work to do.

“We are talking about this with everyone – with clubs, leagues, federations and football players and agents. Hopefully this year we’ll be able to propose measures to further regulate this activity to protect everyone: footballers, clubs and agents themselves.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body will consider changing the rules over the transfer of minors after Premier League Chelsea were hit with a transfer ban.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body will consider changing the rules over the transfer of minors after Premier League Chelsea were hit with a transfer ban. Chelsea were banned last week from signing anyone in the next two transfer windows after being found guilty of breaching FIFA’s rules relating to signing overseas players under the age of 18. FIFA's rules say players aged 18 or under can only be transferred abroad if one of three criteria are met: if their parents emigrated for non-footballing reasons, both clubs are in the EU or European Economic Area and the player is aged between 16 and 18 or the player lives within 100km of the new club. Clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have also received transfer bans in recent years after falling foul of the rules and Infantino, speaking at a news conference in Rome, said the regulations should be subjected to renewed scrutiny. “There are rules, regulations, whether we like them or not they have to be respected as long as they are there,” he said. “Otherwise if we don’t like them we need to change them... Maybe we should raise the minimum age all over Europe, or we should allow certain exceptions based on certain clear criteria, for young boys or girls to be able to have good training conditions in other parts, but protecting the minors. “This is our main priority so it is certainly an area that we have to look into and continue looking into in the future as well." Infantino, who was elected in February 2016, also said that FIFA intends to review regulations over the activity of football agents. “We are planning to revisit the regulations governing agents because we feel it’s necessary to fine-tune those rules,” he said. “Today the economic flow involved in transfers is about 8 billion euros ($9.10 billion) a year without considering the money paid to the footballers. “So I think it would only be fair for those involved in these transfers to be regulated, their profession clearly needs to be governed. All other professions are governed and disciplined in Italy and throughout the world so why not them?" Infantino said agents were subjected to tighter rules in the United States. “Look at what happens in the USA. Often the USA is taken as an example but the USA is the homeland of the free market of laissez-faire. Everything is open, people do whatever they want. But these professions are regulated in a very stringent way. “You’ve got huge volumes and books that govern transfers and changes in clubs and agents. We’ve got these slim booklets here in Europe and in FIFA so we’ve got a bit of work to do. “We are talking about this with everyone – with clubs, leagues, federations and football players and agents. Hopefully this year we’ll be able to propose measures to further regulate this activity to protect everyone: footballers, clubs and agents themselves.”

FIFA to re-examine transfer rules for minors: Gianni Infantino

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football's governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June's vote.

The 48-year-old has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the corruption scandal which rocked the organisation.

The election will take place on June 5 in Paris ahead of the women's World Cup.

Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega had announced his intention to stand against Infantino, but failed to garner the required support of five of FIFA's 211 member federations.

Infantino has introduced plans to increase the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 from 2026, with the possibility to bring forward the expansion to the 2022 edition in Qatar.

A decision is expected to be taken next March after a study into the feasibility of holding an extended tournament in the Gulf state.

Michel Platini's former right-hand man at UEFA is also hoping for an enlarged, 24-team Club World Cup from 2021.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia, who will be re-elected on Thursday also as the sole candidate, is opposed to the idea.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football's governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June's vote.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football's governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June's vote. The 48-year-old has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the corruption scandal which rocked the organisation. The election will take place on June 5 in Paris ahead of the women's World Cup. Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega had announced his intention to stand against Infantino, but failed to garner the required support of five of FIFA's 211 member federations. Infantino has introduced plans to increase the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 from 2026, with the possibility to bring forward the expansion to the 2022 edition in Qatar. A decision is expected to be taken next March after a study into the feasibility of holding an extended tournament in the Gulf state. Michel Platini's former right-hand man at UEFA is also hoping for an enlarged, 24-team Club World Cup from 2021. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia, who will be re-elected on Thursday also as the sole candidate, is opposed to the idea.

FIFA says incumbent Infantino is sole candidate for president

The head of soccer's world governing body said here Thursday that FIFA is considering a plan to increase the number of teams taking part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from 32 to 48.&nbsp;

While the decision to shift to a 48-team format was approved last year by FIFA, the change was not supposed to take effect until 2026.

But FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested advancing the implementation to 2022.

"We gathered the opinions as well of our members, the federations," he said Thursday during a press conference in Doha, the Qatari capital.

"So far, of course, the majority are in favor because 16 more teams participating not only means that 16 more countries will have World Cup fever, but 50 or 60 countries will be able to dream of qualifying for the World Cup," Infantino said.

"Whether it is feasible or not is a different question," he acknowledged.

FIFA will make a final decision in March, Infantino said, adding that some matches might have to be in other countries if Qatar could not accommodate the expanded schedule.

"Of course, I'm not naive enough to not know and read the news, and what's going on, but we are in football not in politics and in football sometimes dreams come true," the FIFA president, alluding to the current tensions between Qatar and neighbors such as Saudi Arabia.

The head of soccer's world governing body said here Thursday that FIFA is considering a plan to increase the number of teams taking part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from 32 to 48.

The head of soccer's world governing body said here Thursday that FIFA is considering a plan to increase the number of teams taking part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from 32 to 48. While the decision to shift to a 48-team format was approved last year by FIFA, the change was not supposed to take effect until 2026. But FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested advancing the implementation to 2022. "We gathered the opinions as well of our members, the federations," he said Thursday during a press conference in Doha, the Qatari capital. "So far, of course, the majority are in favor because 16 more teams participating not only means that 16 more countries will have World Cup fever, but 50 or 60 countries will be able to dream of qualifying for the World Cup," Infantino said. "Whether it is feasible or not is a different question," he acknowledged. FIFA will make a final decision in March, Infantino said, adding that some matches might have to be in other countries if Qatar could not accommodate the expanded schedule. "Of course, I'm not naive enough to not know and read the news, and what's going on, but we are in football not in politics and in football sometimes dreams come true," the FIFA president, alluding to the current tensions between Qatar and neighbors such as Saudi Arabia.

FIFA: Most countries back expanding 2022 World Cup to 48 teams

FIFA have set up a task force to examine president Gianni Infantino's plans for a new Club World Cup and Global Nations League, avoiding a damaging split with UEFA over the controversial proposals.

Infantino told a news conference that the task force would present its findings at a council meeting in Miami on March 14.

“On the topic that heated some of the media, we have taken a decision to create a task force at least," said Infantino, who had intended to put his plans to a vote on Friday.

"We have taken a decision to establish a task force to bolster the consultation process, the prospects of a revamped FIFA Club World Cup and worldwide Nations League, to discuss and make concrete proposals,” Infantino said.

Infantino's plans had been opposed by the World Leagues Forum and the European Leagues, representing the top club competitions internationally, who had urged the FIFA chief to step back from a quick vote.

European governing body UEFA had also been vocal in their criticism of the plans after details emerged in May, raising the prospect of a split in the global game.

Infantino said the task force would "work on details of these competitions which are of high interest in many parts of the world where some agree, others disagree".

"There are different points of views, different opinions. It’s perfectly normal,” Infantino said, adding that he welcomed proposals and ideas for the tournaments.

Infantino's plans for the Club World Cup have included holding the tournament every four years with 24 teams and also an idea for an annual competition.

The Nations League format began under UEFA's auspices in Europe in September while CONCACAF, in North and Central America and the Caribbean, has also begun a Nations League tournament.

Infantino's idea is for a 'Final Eight' tournament bringing together the winners of various continental Nations League competitions.

"Two confederations already have Nations League, for which rights are already sold, in particular when it comes to Europe until 2022. But others don‘t," said the FIFA president.

"But there are certainly ways and possibilities to look into seeing what can be done maybe already in other parts... or maybe the whole world after 2022. We are open to every idea and every proposal.”

FIFA have set up a task force to examine president Gianni Infantino's plans for a new Club World Cup and Global Nations League, avoiding a damaging split with UEFA over the controversial proposals.

FIFA have set up a task force to examine president Gianni Infantino's plans for a new Club World Cup and Global Nations League, avoiding a damaging split with UEFA over the controversial proposals. Infantino told a news conference that the task force would present its findings at a council meeting in Miami on March 14. “On the topic that heated some of the media, we have taken a decision to create a task force at least," said Infantino, who had intended to put his plans to a vote on Friday. "We have taken a decision to establish a task force to bolster the consultation process, the prospects of a revamped FIFA Club World Cup and worldwide Nations League, to discuss and make concrete proposals,” Infantino said. Infantino's plans had been opposed by the World Leagues Forum and the European Leagues, representing the top club competitions internationally, who had urged the FIFA chief to step back from a quick vote. European governing body UEFA had also been vocal in their criticism of the plans after details emerged in May, raising the prospect of a split in the global game. Infantino said the task force would "work on details of these competitions which are of high interest in many parts of the world where some agree, others disagree". "There are different points of views, different opinions. It’s perfectly normal,” Infantino said, adding that he welcomed proposals and ideas for the tournaments. Infantino's plans for the Club World Cup have included holding the tournament every four years with 24 teams and also an idea for an annual competition. The Nations League format began under UEFA's auspices in Europe in September while CONCACAF, in North and Central America and the Caribbean, has also begun a Nations League tournament. Infantino's idea is for a 'Final Eight' tournament bringing together the winners of various continental Nations League competitions. "Two confederations already have Nations League, for which rights are already sold, in particular when it comes to Europe until 2022. But others don‘t," said the FIFA president. "But there are certainly ways and possibilities to look into seeing what can be done maybe already in other parts... or maybe the whole world after 2022. We are open to every idea and every proposal.”

FIFA set up task force over new tournament plans

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino on Wednesday said he will stand for re-election as the head of football's world governing body next year.

Infantino said earlier that FIFA had been clinically dead when he took over in 2016 from long-time president Sepp Blatter who was engulfed by corruption allegations.

Two years later, it was very much alive and full of joy, with a clear vision for its future.

Meanwhile, Blatter is being investigated by Swiss prosecutors for alleged corruption during his 17-year reign at the head of FIFA.

Elections that handed the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 have since been the target of allegations of bribery and hastened the end of Blatter's time in office. He continues to protest his innocence.

Infantino has put FIFA on a sound financial footing and made efforts to address allegations that FIFA had become riddled with corruption and its senior officials open to bribes.

The 48-year-old Swiss has also ushered in the introduction of innovations such as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to analyse controversial on-pitch incidents during matches.

VAR will make its World Cup debut in Russia.

Infantino said earlier that FIFA had been clinically dead when he took over in 2016

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino on Wednesday said he will stand for re-election as the head of football's world governing body next year. Infantino said earlier that FIFA had been clinically dead when he took over in 2016 from long-time president Sepp Blatter who was engulfed by corruption allegations. Two years later, it was very much alive and full of joy, with a clear vision for its future. Meanwhile, Blatter is being investigated by Swiss prosecutors for alleged corruption during his 17-year reign at the head of FIFA. Elections that handed the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 have since been the target of allegations of bribery and hastened the end of Blatter's time in office. He continues to protest his innocence. Infantino has put FIFA on a sound financial footing and made efforts to address allegations that FIFA had become riddled with corruption and its senior officials open to bribes. The 48-year-old Swiss has also ushered in the introduction of innovations such as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to analyse controversial on-pitch incidents during matches. VAR will make its World Cup debut in Russia.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino to stand for re-election in 2019

FIFA began talks on Monday over two new proposed competitions which could reshape international soccer and be worth billions of dollars to the global soccer body.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has put forward ambitious plans for a revamped version of the Club World Cup and a new global Nations League competition.

The plans were discussed by representatives of the six continental confederations at a meeting at FIFA headquarters on Monday.

Officials did not comment on a timeline but Philippe Moggio, general secretary of the CONCACAF which organises football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said that "there was a sense of urgency to move forward."

The plans were initially presented at the last FIFA Council meeting in Bogota in March.

Earlier this month, Infantino confirmed that investors had shown interest in backing an expanded Club World Cup but did not comment on the amount involved which has been reported as being up to $25 billion over a 12-year period.

FIFA said in a subsequent statement that the meeting took place in a "friendly and positive environment" and that a working group had been created to "analyse further the relevance and feasibility of staging both competitions."

FIFA's plans for the Club World Cup would involve expanding it to 24 teams -- including 12 from Europe -- and staging it every four years instead of annually as happens at present.

The Nations League would be a global version of the new competitions which are being introduced by UEFA in Europe and CONCACAF in North and Central American and the Caribbean.

In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in the respective continents who are divided into divisions based on their rankings.

There are promotion and relegation between the divisions, as in conventional domestic leagues.

Each division is sub-divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a knockout contest.

President Gianni Infantino has put forward ambitious plans for a revamped version of the Club World Cup and a new global Nations League competition

FIFA began talks on Monday over two new proposed competitions which could reshape international soccer and be worth billions of dollars to the global soccer body. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has put forward ambitious plans for a revamped version of the Club World Cup and a new global Nations League competition. The plans were discussed by representatives of the six continental confederations at a meeting at FIFA headquarters on Monday. Officials did not comment on a timeline but Philippe Moggio, general secretary of the CONCACAF which organises football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said that "there was a sense of urgency to move forward." The plans were initially presented at the last FIFA Council meeting in Bogota in March. Earlier this month, Infantino confirmed that investors had shown interest in backing an expanded Club World Cup but did not comment on the amount involved which has been reported as being up to $25 billion over a 12-year period. FIFA said in a subsequent statement that the meeting took place in a "friendly and positive environment" and that a working group had been created to "analyse further the relevance and feasibility of staging both competitions." FIFA's plans for the Club World Cup would involve expanding it to 24 teams -- including 12 from Europe -- and staging it every four years instead of annually as happens at present. The Nations League would be a global version of the new competitions which are being introduced by UEFA in Europe and CONCACAF in North and Central American and the Caribbean. In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in the respective continents who are divided into divisions based on their rankings. There are promotion and relegation between the divisions, as in conventional domestic leagues. Each division is sub-divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a knockout contest.

FIFA begin talks on ambitious new competitions

FIFA today named Tomaz Vesel, head of the Slovenian government&#39;s main auditing body, to lead world football&#39;s anti-corruption watchdog. 
 
FIFA leader Gianni Infantino said Vesel&#39;s appointment was an important move in the body&#39;s bid to &quot;restore trust&quot; after a series of football corruption scandals. 
 
The former head of FIFA&#39;s independent audit committee, Domenico Scala, quit in May in protest at what he called attacks on reforms by its new leadership. 
 
Vesel has been president of Slovenia&#39;s Court of Auditors, supervising state accounts, since 2013. He has also been an advisor for the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 
 
Football&#39;s governing body remains under investigation by Swiss authorities while a number of former top officials face trials in the United States over more than $200 million in bribes paid for marketing and television contracts. 
 
Longtime FIFA leader Sepp Blatter is serving a six year suspension over a suspect two million dollar payment to former vice president Michel Platini who is also suspended. 
 
Infantino took charge of FIFA in February vowing a new era of trust and transparency but has faced a challenging time since with acting general secretary Markus Kattner suspended over millions of dollars of suspicious payments made to himself. 
 
&quot;The appointment of Mr Vesel as independent chairman of FIFA&#39;s audit and compliance committee is an important development in the ongoing effort to strengthen FIFA&#39;s governance and compliance systems,&quot; said Infantino. 
 
&quot;This is a vital role within the organization and Mr Vesel&#39;s audit expertise and international experience will help reassure stakeholders and restore trust in FIFA.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The former head of FIFA's independent audit committee, Domenico Scala, quit in May in protest at what he called attacks on reforms by its new leadership

FIFA today named Tomaz Vesel, head of the Slovenian government's main auditing body, to lead world football's anti-corruption watchdog. FIFA leader Gianni Infantino said Vesel's appointment was an important move in the body's bid to "restore trust" after a series of football corruption scandals. The former head of FIFA's independent audit committee, Domenico Scala, quit in May in protest at what he called attacks on reforms by its new leadership. Vesel has been president of Slovenia's Court of Auditors, supervising state accounts, since 2013. He has also been an advisor for the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Football's governing body remains under investigation by Swiss authorities while a number of former top officials face trials in the United States over more than $200 million in bribes paid for marketing and television contracts. Longtime FIFA leader Sepp Blatter is serving a six year suspension over a suspect two million dollar payment to former vice president Michel Platini who is also suspended. Infantino took charge of FIFA in February vowing a new era of trust and transparency but has faced a challenging time since with acting general secretary Markus Kattner suspended over millions of dollars of suspicious payments made to himself. "The appointment of Mr Vesel as independent chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee is an important development in the ongoing effort to strengthen FIFA's governance and compliance systems," said Infantino. "This is a vital role within the organization and Mr Vesel's audit expertise and international experience will help reassure stakeholders and restore trust in FIFA." (AFP)

Slovenian Vesel takes charge of FIFA corruption watchdog

<div style="text-align: justify;">Diego Maradona has offered to support new FIFA chief Gianni Infantino&#39;s bid to improve the running of football in Argentina. 
Speaking upon his arrival in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, the Argentine legend said: &quot;I&#39;m not going to be a FIFA observer, I&#39;m coming to collaborate directly with Gianni Infantino. 
&quot;I&#39;m not going to arrive at AFA (the Argentine Federation) to drop a bomb and start everything again from zero. On the contrary, I want Argentine football to become strong again, as it&#39;s always been, but with transparency.&quot; 
Elected in February to succeed Sepp Blatter, Infantino &quot;had a very positive and constructive meeting&quot; with Maradona in Paris on June 10, a FIFA spokesperson told AFP. 
&quot;It is important that true legends of the game like Diego Maradona are interested in the future of the game and involve themselves in the promotion and development of football.&quot; 
Maradona, who starred in Argentina&#39;s 1986 World Cup triumph, has often in the past been critical of world football authorities, last year saying Blatter had made a &quot;disgrace&quot; of the game. 
&quot;This was another step in implementing the FIFA President&#39;s vision to reconnect FIFA with the players who have made the history of the game,&quot; the FIFA spokesperson added. 
&quot;FIFA is committed to help and assist find a sustainable solution for the governance of Argentinian football. And Diego Maradona has offered his support.&quot; 
A joint FIFA and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) mission is presently visiting Argentina. 
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has been left reeling following the death of long-time president Julio Grondona in 2014, which unleashed an internal power struggle, and the FIFA corruption scandal, which implicated several figures in the world of Argentine football. 
AFA is also under investigation for suspected misuse of millions of dollars it received from the Argentine government under a programme called Football for All, in which matches were broadcast for free. (AFP)</div>

Says he wants Argentine football to become strong again, 'but with transparency'

Diego Maradona has offered to support new FIFA chief Gianni Infantino's bid to improve the running of football in Argentina. Speaking upon his arrival in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, the Argentine legend said: "I'm not going to be a FIFA observer, I'm coming to collaborate directly with Gianni Infantino. "I'm not going to arrive at AFA (the Argentine Federation) to drop a bomb and start everything again from zero. On the contrary, I want Argentine football to become strong again, as it's always been, but with transparency." Elected in February to succeed Sepp Blatter, Infantino "had a very positive and constructive meeting" with Maradona in Paris on June 10, a FIFA spokesperson told AFP. "It is important that true legends of the game like Diego Maradona are interested in the future of the game and involve themselves in the promotion and development of football." Maradona, who starred in Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph, has often in the past been critical of world football authorities, last year saying Blatter had made a "disgrace" of the game. "This was another step in implementing the FIFA President's vision to reconnect FIFA with the players who have made the history of the game," the FIFA spokesperson added. "FIFA is committed to help and assist find a sustainable solution for the governance of Argentinian football. And Diego Maradona has offered his support." A joint FIFA and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) mission is presently visiting Argentina. The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has been left reeling following the death of long-time president Julio Grondona in 2014, which unleashed an internal power struggle, and the FIFA corruption scandal, which implicated several figures in the world of Argentine football. AFA is also under investigation for suspected misuse of millions of dollars it received from the Argentine government under a programme called Football for All, in which matches were broadcast for free. (AFP)

Maradona offers to help new FIFA chief improve running of game in Argentina