FIFA Proposes Staging Mini-World Cup Every 2 Years

Published

7 years ago

May 2, 2018

FIFA Proposes Staging Mini-World Cup Every 2 Years

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed staging what would effectively be a mini-World Cup, featuring eight international teams, every two years in addition to the traditional competition.

The tournament, known as the “Final 8”, would be the climax of a global Nations League competition.

It is part of an ambitious plan to reform international football which FIFA believes could be worth $25 billion in a 12-year cycle.

In a letter seen by Reuters, Infantino suggested that the new tournament would take place every October and/or November of every odd year starting from 2021.

He said that a “solid and serious” group of investors were willing to spend $25 billion on the competition and a revamped version of the Club World Cup, which would also start in 2021 with 24 teams.

The Confederations Cup, currently staged every four years in a year before the World Cup, would be abolished.

The letter did not clearly indicate how many slots would be allocated to each region.

The plans were sent by Infantino to the members of FIFA’s decision-making Council which still has to approve them.

European soccer body UEFA and its counterpart for North and Central America and the Caribbean, CONCACAF, have already set up Nations League contests in their own continents.

In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in their respective regions who are divided into divisions based on their rankings.

There is promotion and relegation between the divisions as in conventional domestic club leagues. UEFA’s inaugural competition will begin in September this year.

Other continents would have to set up similar competitions for the tournament to be viable.

Related Topics:FIFA Proposes Staging Mini-World Cup Every 2 Years

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Ancelotti Admits Mbappe Is In “Difficult Moment” And Lacks Confidence

Published

10 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Reporter

Kylian Mbappe, Ancelotti admits is in a 'difficult moment' | fab.ng

Kylian Mbappé, the 25-year-old French striker, delivered another lacklustre performance for Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

In their 2-0 Champions League defeat at Anfield, Mbappé struggled to impact the game, failing to pose a significant threat to Liverpool’s defence and missing a crucial penalty.

Since his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid in June, Mbappé has endured a difficult start to life in Spain.

He has managed to score only one goal in five Champions League appearances for the Spanish club.

Despite his recent form, which includes just one goal in his last six games across all competitions, manager Carlo Ancelotti remains steadfast in his support for Mbappé.

Ancelotti views the World Cup-winning forward as an “extraordinary” player who simply requires patience and support to fully adapt and excel in the Spanish league.

“It’s a difficult moment for him, we’ve got to support him and give him our love, he’ll soon be fine,” Ancelotti said.

“It could be a lack of confidence maybe. Sometimes you have moments when things aren’t quite working out for you. But you get through these moments. People miss penalties, it happens a lot. You can’t put too much grief on him for that.

“He works hard, he’s got to keep working hard and fighting. You get through these moments. Things just aren’t running for him at the moment. We’ve got be patient. He’s an extraordinary player.”

Ancelotti acknowledged Liverpool’s superior performance, stating that they deserved to win the match.

“I think that to be totally honest with you, it was a fair result,” he said. “They have a really good dynamic at the moment, they are switched on, they play with a high intensity.”

Liverpool are the first team to confirm their place in the round of 16 or knockout phase play-offs ⚽#UCL pic.twitter.com/ebUtmFxFeW

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 27, 2024

Ancelotti expressed confidence that Real Madrid’s form would improve significantly, despite their current position of 24th out of 36 teams in the league and the looming threat of missing the knockout phase.

“I think this game today wasn’t a decisive game,” he said. “We’ll be there, we’ll be competing in the knockout phase, like in previous years.”

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham concurred with his manager’s assessment, stating that Liverpool had outperformed them in the match.

“They were more up for it than us which is very disappointing. It is a bad result against the best-performing team in Europe,” he said.

“We are disappointed at how we have performed and it is important that we win the next three games and give ourselves a chance to go through.”

Bellingham also voiced his support for Kylian Mbappé.

“He is a wonderful player but the pressure on him because of how good he is is huge. The penalty is not why we lost the game. They performed better than us. I know that he will produce many more moments that will be huge for this club,” he said.

Check out more sports updates here.

SPORTS

FA Investigating Suspended Referee Coote For Allegedly Discussing Booking Before Match

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2024

Reporter

David Coote investigated by FA for booking before match | fab.ng

David Coote, a Premier League referee currently suspended, is the subject of an ongoing betting investigation by the Football Association (FA).

The investigation stems from allegations that Coote discussed giving a yellow card before a match.

According to messages from The Sun, a friend of Coote’s allegedly urged him to issue a yellow card to Ezgjan Alioski. Alisoki is a then-Leeds defender, during a Championship match against West Brom in October 2019.

Coote followed through on this advice, booking Alioski in the 18th minute for a cynical foul. Subsequently, he messaged his friend back, stating, “I hope you backed as discussed.”

Coote recently spoke to The Sun, admitting that the conversation with his friend did indeed take place. However, he insists it was merely “banter” and denies any intentional wrongdoing.

Tomorrow’s front page: Coote texted friend about yellow card before match https://t.co/eojKr0ugPv pic.twitter.com/cd8YKlkcKN

— The Sun (@TheSun) November 26, 2024

Despite the claims, the Football Association is investigating David Coote on the matter.

A spokesperson from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the refereeing body, told Sky Sports… “These are very serious allegations and we are investigating as a matter of urgency.”

“The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.

“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our integrity code of conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.

“PGMOL board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that code be proven.

“David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter, which will be carried out independently by the FA.

“We will be making no further comment at this stage.”

The FA have launched a betting probe into allegations that referee David Coote discussed giving a yellow card to a Leeds United player with a friend before a match.

Coote carded Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski in the match against West Brom in October 2019. pic.twitter.com/ZS3PaK2p6V

— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) November 26, 2024

Recent scandals have further tarnished Coote’s reputation. Foul-mouthed videos surfaced of him ranting against Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp.

In these videos, he used derogatory language, calling Klopp a “c***” and “f****** arrogant”. As a result of this offensive behaviour, PGMOL suspended him on November 11th.

Days later, another video emerged, this time showing Coote seemingly snorting white powder in a hotel during the European Championship in Germany, where he was officiating.

This clip is believed to have been filmed on July 6th, just a day before the France-Portugal quarter-final. In response to this incident, UEFA, European football’s governing body, also suspended Coote, aligning with PGMOL’s decision.

Check out more sports updates here.

SPORTS

Mbappe Takes Reins For Real Madrid In Liverpool Clash

Published

2 days ago

November 26, 2024

Reporter

Mbappe Takes Reins for Real Madrid in Liverpool Clash | fab.ng

With Vinicius Junior injured, Kylian Mbappe will lead Real Madrid’s attack against Liverpool. The French captain, who recently scored his first goal in five matches against Leganes, will play his preferred left-wing position.

Real Madrid, currently struggling in the Champions League, will rely on Mbappe to provide the attacking spark, especially with Vinicius out for over three weeks.

Liverpool currently leads their group, while Real Madrid sits in 18th place after disappointing results against Lille and AC Milan.

Although Mbappe has scored seven goals in La Liga, his performances haven’t met the expectations of a player of his calibre. Despite this, he believes he is gradually settling into his role at Real Madrid.

“I think I put in a good performance, I’m starting to get up to speed with my team-mates,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after their victory over Leganes, which moved Real Madrid into second place in La Liga.

“I can play in every position and I’m ready to help the team and give my all…

“I play on the right, on the left, in the middle and with two up top. It doesn’t matter to me. I want to help the team and score goals.”

📋✅ Our squad for the match!
🆚 @LFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/7icPnnJYEF

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 25, 2024

Tactical Adjustment

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti had initially resisted moving Kylian Mbappé to the left wing. He preferred to keep Vinícius Jr. in that position since it suited his playing style better. Vinícius thrives on the flank and is less effective when deployed through the middle.

However, after Mbappé struggled to score—managing just one goal in seven matches as a central striker—Ancelotti decided to make a tactical change ahead of the Leganés game.

He swapped their positions, allowing Mbappé to operate from the left while Vinícius played centrally. Despite the switch’s impact, Ancelotti explained that the decision stemmed from fitness concerns rather than strategic preference.

“Playing on the outside is more tiring than through the middle, Vinicius returned from international duty on Thursday and Mbappe was fresher than Vinicius,” said Ancelotti.

“He scored a goal with a fantastic assist from Vini Junior – they’re both improving bit by bit.”

Strategic Challenges Ahead for Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti faces crucial tactical decisions for Real Madrid’s upcoming trip to Merseyside against the Premier League leaders. With injuries depleting his squad, he must rethink his formation to maximise impact.

One option involves deploying Kylian Mbappé as part of a two-man strike force, potentially alongside Jude Bellingham. Although Bellingham played deeper this season, he was Madrid’s key attacking force last year.

🏃💨 #LeganésRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/xXSZgQuYxp

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 24, 2024

He filled the void left by Karim Benzema’s departure. Ancelotti shifted Bellingham back to midfield after Mbappé’s arrival to create balance.

However, injuries to key players like Vinícius Jr., Rodrygo, and Lucas Vázquez, coupled with long-term absences of Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, and Éder Militão, have left Madrid thin on options.

Mbappé is already under pressure. This is due to off-field issues, including a rape investigation in Sweden (which he called “fake news”) and a financial dispute with former club PSG.

He has faced scrutiny over his form. Ancelotti defended him, criticising media speculation about the striker’s mental health as “ugly” and expressing confidence in Mbappé’s resurgence.

Mbappé’s recent goal against Leganés eased some pressure, but Madrid urgently needs him to replicate that performance against Liverpool to stay competitive.

Check out more sports news here.