FIFA stands firm
Leading official adamant Euro leagues will have to abide by decision to reschedule Cup
European soccer clubs are told they will not receive financial compensation for the 2022 World Cup being moved to November and December, a switch recommended by a FIFA task force meeting.
FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke on Wednesday ruled out any prospect of European soccer clubs receiving financial compensation for the 2022 World Cup being moved to November-December.
“There will be no compensation; there are seven years to reorganize,” a bullish Valcke told a Doha media conference. “We are in agreement with the clubs.”
European associations representing major clubs from England, Germany and France have already expressed their unhappiness with the switch recommended by a FIFA task force meeting in Qatar on Tuesday, amid speculation some would seek financial redress for the decision.
The task force recommended the tournament start on Nov 26 and end on Dec 23, 2022, ensuring an enforced break for domestic European leagues.
Valcke said European clubs should accept the potential switch.
“It’s not perfect, we know that, but why are you talking about compensation? Again, it’s happening once and we are doing nothing which destroys football.
We are just changing the format and the structure of a season,” he told journalists packed into a ballroom at Doha’s Ritz Carlton hotel.
An unrepentant Valcke also said FIFA had no reason to apologize to Europe’s biggest clubs.
“Why should we? We have had an agreement with the clubs that they are part of the beneficiaries. It was $40 million in 2010 and $70 million in 2014,” he said.
A final decision will be made by the FIFA executive committee at a meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on March 19-20.
English Premier League boss Richard Scudamore said after Tuesday’s decision that he was “very disappointed” by the switch.
Frederic Thiriez, president of the French league and of the European Professional Football Leagues, also expressed his concern, calling the November-December date “the worst solution”.
A few more details emerged about the unique World Cup on Wednesday, with Valcke revealing the tournament would stretch over 28 days, instead of the normal 32. Four games would be played every day in the early stages of the competition, he said.
He said no decision has been made on the date the final would be played, though FIFA is keen on Dec 23. Others, including the English, have expressed a preference for the 18th.
The Confederations Cup will also be moved from Qatar in 2021 and played “in a different Asian country”.
Valcke also addressed the controversial issue of workers’ rights and said he had been to see the working and living conditions of those building World Cup facilities.
He conceded there was still improvements for Qatar to put in place.
“It’s clear that there are problems and there are things to be solved and there is an ongoing discussion with ILO (International Labour Organization) and different organizations,” said Valcke.
Workers’ rights in Qatar have long been a controversial issue since the tiny Gulf state was awarded the tournament in December 2010.
Rights groups have accused Qatar of appalling conditions for workers and say any reforms brought in by the country have been too slow.