Wenger Calls For World Cup To Be Held Every Two Years News

Navigation: Home / News / Euro Soccer Update / Wenger Calls For World Cup To Be Held Every Two Years

Wenger Calls For World Cup To Be Held Every Two Years

By Daily sports on March 17, 2021

Arsene Wenger wants to see the World Cup and European Championship played every two years and have Fifa “kick all the rest out”.

The ex-Arsenal boss, who is chief of global football development at Fifa, says the four-year wait between major tournaments is too long for players.

Wenger, 71, has previously called for Uefa’s Nations League to be scrapped to make room for the move.

“Organise only competitions of meaning,” he told beIN Sports.

“Kick all the parallel competitions out of the game. People must understand what is at stake and only have games with meaning.

“If you look at the teams in the World Cups usually the average age is 27 or 28. Because the World Cup is every four years there are very few chances to win it again because when they go back to the next World Cup they are 32 or 33.

“That’s why maybe we should organise the World Cup every two years.”

The World Cup has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not staged because of World War Two.

Likewise, the European Championship has taken place every four years since 1960, with the exception of Euro 2020 which was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

‘Players need holidays’

Wenger also wants football’s world governing body to seriously consider condensing qualifiers for major events, reducing the amount of international breaks needed during the season.

The Frenchman wants to see clear breaks for players incorporated into the international match calendar, which Fifa is due to start a review of this month.

“I believe it’s needed, with the physical resources that the players need today, it’s important that you have four weeks holiday,” he said.

“I would say that’s one of the solutions we will discuss is to compact the qualifiers.

“Instead of going away in October, November, September, March, June, we regroup the qualifiers all in one month or two quadruples in October and in February. At least the players can dedicate that time to the club from March until June, and we would gain four dates.”

Any changes to the international calendar would have to be passed by Fifa’s ruling council and possibly also a full congress of all federations. (BBC)

•PHOTO: Arsene Wenger

Source Daily sports

Posted March 17, 2021