Breaking down a potential biennial World Cup with Simon Evans

In the latest installment of World Soccer Talk’s newest video series, we discuss plans for a biennial World Cup.

As things stand, the World Cup takes place every four years. After all, it started out that way dating back to the original competition in 1930. However, as many passionate soccer fans know, FIFA President Gianni Infantino continues to push plans of making the competition more frequent.

In a recent press release and ensuing conference, Infantino and Arsène Wenger, who now serves as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, presented results of the institution’s research into the feasibility of a biennial World Cup. 

Generally speaking, the findings were positive. In fact, FIFA reported that the consensus of those answering surveys are in favor of a World Cup every two years.

The driving force for FIFA seems to be money. In the press conference, Infantino mentioned the potential financial benefit would generate an additional $4.4 billion in revenue. Much of that would eventually trickle its way down to smaller member nations. The end goal, at least according to Wenger and Infantino, is to provide more opportunity to the nations that may not have it. After all, in the 22 World Cups in history, only eight individual nations can say it lifted the famous trophy.

Breaking down the biennial World Cup

In this brief video, World Soccer Talk’s Kyle Fansler hosts a chat between Kartik Krishnaiyer and Simon Evans. Evans, the soccer correspondent for Reuters, tracked the development of the biennial World Cup over recent years. This is particularly true since Infantino’s ascension to the Presidency of FIFA.

Krishnaiyer and Evans talk about what went down at the summit from FIFA. There, FIFA presented the findings of the feasibility studies. Also, the pair discuss benefits for FIFA outside of monetary gain. Similarly, the possible consequences for international federations. As many know, CONMEBOL and UEFA recently announced their intentions to go hand-in-hand on a joint Nations League spanning the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, that plan goes against the aims of FIFA’s biennial World Cup.

Be sure to check out Simon Evans’s Twitter account and his stories for Reuters. Kartik Krishnaiyer appears on the World Soccer Talk Podcast, which releases a new episode almost each week to discuss broadcasting news and noteworthy events throughout the sport.