A heavier selection schedule, but more money for clubs: FIFA renewed this Monday until 2030 its agreement with the European Club Association (ECA), an important step towards being able to expand its competitions.
Signed at the 29th ECA general meeting in Budapest, this agreement “reinforces the relationship” between the organizations, giving “long-term stability to national team and club football”, explained the two parties.
Objectively, the clubs that lend their players to the selections will receive a greater compensation, of US$ 335 million (R$ 1.7 billion) in the 2026 World Cupcompared to US$ 209 million (a little over R$ 1 billion) from the 2018 and 2022 editions.
On the other hand, European clubs, which employ the best players in the world, are committed to accepting the schedule of matches between national teams, approved on March 14, until 2030.
This support is crucial for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was re-elected on March 16 without opposition until 2027 and who plans to extend the entity’s control in both national and club football.
In addition to expanding the World Cup to 48 teams, FIFA will also start organizing the Club World Cup every four years, with 32 teams, starting in 2025.
If this new competition does not please the European leagues or UEFA, who usually complain about the saturated calendar and the increasing risk of injuries, the ECA gave its “support”, as well as the creation of a future Women’s Club World Cup.
The agreement reached in Budapest “recognises the central role of clubs in world football and ensures that they are correctly represented in the decision-making process on issues that affect them,” said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of ECA, Paris Saint Germain and the media group BeIN.
The Qatari leader announced that FIFA and ECA will “deepen their working relations” on the new Club World Cup, “including the sporting and commercial aspects of the 2025 edition” and the “rights management” of the following editions, like the ECA and UEFA joint management of European club competitions.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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