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Infantino’s grand WC plan under scrutiny
ZURICH: FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal for a 48-team tournament will come under the microscope when the decision makers at football’s governing
ZURICH: FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal for a 48-team tournament will come under the microscope when the decision makers at football’s governing body discuss the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup this week.
The FIFA Council, which meets on Thursday and Friday in Zurich, still has to decide on basic questions such as the size of the tournament and which continents are eligible. A decision was due this week under the timeline drawn up in May but Infantino has now said that discussions will continue until January.
SPANISH CLUBS RECORD DROP IN TAX DEBT
MADRID: Spanish football clubs have slashed their tax debts to around a third of their 650 million euros ($720 million) apex from three years ago, La Liga officials said on Tuesday.
First and second division clubs have a cumulative 230-million-euro debt to the Spanish government, with six clubs — Atletico Madrid and Espanyol of La Liga and Valladolid, Mallorca, Zaragoza and Elche of the second tier — responsible for over 70 percent of that sum. Neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona owe any tax to the government.
REAL STADIUM REVAMP BACK ON TRACK
MADRID: Spanish giants Real Madrid on Tuesday relaunched their 400 million euro ($443 million) bid to modernise their Bernabeu stadium paid for by an Abu Dhabi investor. The project, less ambitious than the previous version blocked by the courts, includes the creation of a 6,000m2 public garden alongside the stadium, will be financed by Abu Dhabi-based sponsor IPIC, who will be given naming rights.
FIFA APPOINTS FIRST EVER WOMEN’S OFFICER
ZURICH: Global soccer governing body Fifa has appointed Sarai Bareman as its first ever Chief Women’s Football Officer, the association announced on Tuesday.
The New Zealand native will lead the newly created Women’s Football Division as part of Fifa’s management board, Zurich-based Fifa said.
“As the only female member of Fifa’s 2016 Reform Committee, Sarai was a strong advocate for change within the organisation, in particular calling for concrete requirements on women in leadership positions at Fifa,” Fifa said in a statement.
