FIFA Presidency: Infantino Proposes Regional World Cup

(ATR) Gianni Infantino will consider staging regional World Cups if elected. Also plans shake-up of bidding in manifesto released today

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UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino  (L) speaks next to  and Serbian former football player Ivica Dragutinovic during the UEFA Europa League group stage draw ceremony on August 28, 2015 in Monaco.   / AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI        (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino (L) speaks next to and Serbian former football player Ivica Dragutinovic during the UEFA Europa League group stage draw ceremony on August 28, 2015 in Monaco. / AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

(ATR)Gianni Infantino will consider hosting World Cups in two countries or in a whole region if he is elected FIFA president.

The UEFA general secretary released his 24-page manifesto – ‘Taking Football Forward’ – and campaign website on Tuesday, pledging to improve FIFA’s governance and offering more money in development grants for the world’s 209 football federations.

"Clearly rebuilding trust in FIFA is key and it is imperative that the organisation, and everyone linked to it, embraces reforms to ensure FIFA becomes a modern, credible and transparent world governing body," he said. "These reforms have to be both structural and cultural and we need to have much stronger transparency in financial management."

Infantino of Switzerland has previously talked about expanding the World Cup to 40 teams, one element of his plans for football development. But he went further today.

"FIFA should investigate the possibility of organising the World Cup not only in one or two countries but in a whole region, so enabling several countries to enjoy the honour and benefits of hosting the World Cup," he said in the manifesto.

Japan and Korea have been the only co-hosts of a World Cup in 2002, the joint staging of which met with some criticism due to tensions between two organizing committees.

Infantino’s World Cup plan would emulate UEFA’s Euro 2020 format, a pan-European tournament which will be hosted in 13 cities.

The 46-year-old also proposes a rotation system for World Cup staging.

"Each confederation shall have to wait at least two editions before being able to host the World Cup again. This will ensure a more equitable rotation, while giving every confederation the opportunity to organise this unique event," he said.

Infantino, who has spent the last 15 years at UEFA – seven as general secretary – is vying to replace disgraced Sepp Blatter in the Feb. 26 election. The outgoing FIFA chief is banned from football for eight years along with Michel Platini after making an illegal payment to the UEFA president. Both are appealing FIFA ethics sanctions handed down last month. Shaikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Jerome Champagne, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Tokyo Sexwale are the other FIFA presidential contenders.

After the dual bidding process to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was widely condemned, even Blatter admitting it was a "mistake", Infantino calls for a "fully transparent bidding procedure" for the 2026 tournament and beyond.

His manifesto said it would include detailed bid regulations and bid requirements. A code of conduct for bidding associations would ensure "a level playing-field and help to avoid conflicts of interest and any suspicion of corruption". A technical evaluation would determine a shortlist from which the new FIFA Council narrows the field for a vote at the FIFA Congress.

Creation of a FIFA Council is one of the governance reforms outlined by the UEFA leader, who only entered the FIFA race when Platini was provisionally banned. This body would clearly separate powers and functions.

Term Limits, Transparency

He also proposes to: introduce term limits of a maximum of 12 years for the FIFA president and FIFA Council members; appoint a chief compliance officer to enhance governance standards and promote financial transparency in all of FIFA’s activities; introduce a framework to ensure full transparency of money flows; disclose remuneration of senior FIFA officials; and a fully open tendering process for commercial and operational contracts.

"Taken together, these changes will, I believe, put FIFA on the path towards restored credibility and integrity," he said.

In a bid to attract votes, pledges to increase the financial grants handed to FIFA’s 209 member federations are no surprise particularly given world football federation’s huge World Cup revenues and $1.5 billion in cash reserves.

In the future, Infantino vows to earmark at least 50 percent of FIFA revenues for direct distribution to its member associations for football development projects.

For the time being, FIFA’s presidential hopeful would more than double the current grant handouts to each member federation to $5 million for development projects. A further $1 million over four years would be offered if required for travel costs. In addition, $40 million would be allocated over four years for each of the six confederations for development projects, while their regional associations are each earmarked $4 million over four years to organise youth tournaments.

"The image and reputation of the organisation have been severely tarnished and it is imperative that we take positive steps to address this now," Infantino said in the manifesto.

"As FIFA president my main objective will be to turn matters around and, in particular, to put football back at the centre stage of all that FIFA does. FIFA must once again become an organisation that we can all be proud of: a credible, trusted and transparent global governing body developing football in all corners of the world," he added.

Infantino will hold a press conference in London in early February to set out his FIFA presidential vision.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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