Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Effects of the new World Cup plan
Europe’s football expects billions in losses
Tickets, TV revenues and sponsors: In these areas, Europe’s football associations fear the loss of billions of euros in supposedly secure revenues. That was the result of a study commissioned by UEFA. It should look into what happens if FIFA plans a World Cup every two years in the future.
If the international football calendar is redesigned, including a World Cup every two years, the European football associations face a loss of up to three billion euros in four years. This is the result of a study by the English agency Oliver and Ohlbaum, which was presented to the 55 UEFA members and which is available to the French newspaper “Le Monde”.
The world association FIFA is currently considering a new World Cup rhythm for the period from 2024. Because continental tournaments like the EM would then take place every uneven year, the five short international match windows should become one or two long windows per year. “There will be more meaningful and less senseless games,” FIFA Development Director Arsene Wenger said recently.
In response, UEFA commissioned an independent study in September that looked at the potential effects of a new football calendar on European football. The agency put the impending losses at up to 2.5 billion (with two windows in October and March) or even three billion euros (only one window in October). In particular, a lack of income is to be expected from tickets, broadcasters and sponsors.
In particular, the TV rights already sold for four or five windows a year could cause problems. In addition, fewer tickets are to be expected because many games can be expected in the same stadiums. None of this would please the sponsors who want to be present throughout the year.
The study also warns against excessive mental stress for the players and with only one international match window before a six-month phase without a competitive game for teams that do not qualify for a tournament. It is also feared that the importance of the women’s tournaments and the football tournament at the Olympics will decline.