UEFA already have plans to stage own rival World Cup

AKIPRESS.COM – European football chiefs already have plans that could be used to launch their own version of the World Cup after UEFA announced its countries will boycott FIFA competitions over Gianni Infantino’s bid to sell stakes to private investors, Sky News reported.

UEFA has previously created the format for the Global Nations League – with eight-team finals competitions following regional qualifying events.

The plans were conceived by UEFA initially to stage the finals in odd-numbered years when there is no men’s Euros or World Cup.

They were created in 2017 – just after Gianni Infantino had left UEFA to run FIFA – but never activated.

And the concept is for not just one finals competition – but seven, each featuring eight teams in different tiers graded by ranks. They would be mini-World Cups staged in different countries, each starting in the quarterfinals.

The Nations League format that was eventually introduced just by UEFA in 2018 – with four-team European finals – would have been used at the qualifying pathway in Europe.

The idea was for each of the main Global Nations Leagues to include three teams from Europe, two from South Africa and one each from Africa, Asia and North America. The weakest confederation, Oceania, was only envisaged to have a team in the fourth-ranked finals competition.

The plans were never advanced because Mr Infantino pushed ahead with launching a newly-expanded Club World Cup.

But now the main World Cup is in jeopardy after UEFA’s members decided they would not play in any FIFA competitions as long as Mr Infantino tries to sell off part of his flagship events to private investors.

The Women’s World Cup is due to be staged in Brazil next year.

If UEFA did not completely replicate the current World Cup format during a period of civil war, there is an alternative plan within its Swiss HQ.