FIFA President Gianni Infantino has promised decisions by the end of this year regarding the possibility of holding the World Cup every two years instead of the current system of every four years.
“The current schedule of international matches is coming to an end in 2024, so by 2024 we must have a new schedule of matches, so we have to make decisions by the end of this year,” Infantino said in comments published by the French newspaper, L’Equipe.
The new project was particularly controversial among fans, with former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger recommending that a competition be held every year, alternating between the World Cup and the Euro.
The World Cup will be held in Qatar 2022, in the last edition, with the participation of 32 teams, as it is expected to increase the number of teams participating in this tournament from the 2026 edition (in the United States, Canada and Mexico) to 48 teams.
The European Championship has been held since 2016 with the participation of 24 teams, and the next tournament will be held in Germany in 2024.
Aleksander Ceferin, president of the European Football Association (UEFA), had expressed in writing major reservations about the idea of the International Football Association (FIFA) to organize the World Cup every two years.