Infantino proposes continent-wide World Cup

FIFA should look into staging the World Cup across a continent instead of just one or two countries, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said Tuesday as he stepped up campaigning for next month's FIFA election.

Published : Jan 19, 2016 23:38 IST , Nyon

Gianni Infantino is up against Sheikh Salman, Prince Ali, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne in the FIFA presidential election.
Gianni Infantino is up against Sheikh Salman, Prince Ali, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne in the FIFA presidential election.
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Gianni Infantino is up against Sheikh Salman, Prince Ali, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne in the FIFA presidential election.

FIFA should look into staging the World Cup across a continent instead of just one or two countries, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said Tuesday as he stepped up campaigning for next month's FIFA election.

Infantino promised a bigger World Cup, reforms to scandal-tainted FIFA to create a “credible” global governing body and more money for member nations in his manifesto for the February 26 vote for a new leader.

The Swiss official, who has been right-hand man to suspended UEFA leader Michel Platini for the past seven years, said the World Cup should be expanded to 40 countries from the 32 for the 2018 event in Russia.

Platini and Infantino have also pressed a plan to spread the European Championships across 13 countries from 2020. Infantino said the World Cup could copy the idea.

“FIFA should investigate the possibility of organising the World Cup not only in one or two countries but in a whole region, so enabling several countries to enjoy the honour and benefits of hosting the World Cup,” Infantino said.

Under his plan, there would be an “equitable rotation” for staging World Cups, with a continent that has held the contest having to wait at least two tournaments before getting it again.

The World Cup was held in two countries - in South Korea and Japan - in 2002 and FIFA said at the time it would be reluctant to repeat the exercise.

Deciding the 2026 World Cup hosts has been put back because of the scandals that have embroiled FIFA under outgoing president Sepp Blatter. Blatter and Platini have both been banned for eight years over a suspect payment.

In the election, Infantino is up against Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain, Prince Ali bin al Hussein, a former FIFA vice president from Jordan, South African business tycoon Tokyo Sexwale and former FIFA official Jerome Champagne of France.

Among major soccer nations, Germany indicated Tuesday it is likely to back Infantino. German Football Federation president Reinhard Rauball said: “I will recommend that the DFB board picks Gianni Infantino as the candidate we want to support.” Infantino “is someone who knows the business inside out,” he added.

“FIFA and football have a lot at stake in this election,” Infantino said.

Platini and FIFA president Sepp Blatter were banned from football activities for eight years last month opening up the election battle when Platini withdrew.

All five candidates have promised to clean up the world body after the Blatter-Platini investigation and a US inquiry which has left 39 individuals and two companies facing charges over bribes for football deals.

Infantino proposed a new FIFA Council for key decisions, 12-year term limits for officials including the president, more “independent voices” on key FIFA committees, declaring the remuneration of top FIFA members, naming a chief compliance officer and establishing a fully open tendering process for the body's multi-billion dollar deals.

“Taken together, these changes will, I believe, put FIFA on the path towards restored credibility and integrity,” he said.

Infantino also said FIFA should “aim in the future” to channel 50 percent of its revenues to member associations. Under his plan, each of the 209 member associations would get $5 million over four years for football development projects. That is more than double the current allowance. They could get another one million dollars in a travel allowance. Regional confederations would get $40 million over four years.

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