UEFA are reportedly set to escalate their battle with FIFA for control of the international calendar by backing a new tournament to rival the Club World Cup.
The Daily Mail claim that European football’s governing body are in advanced talks about backing a new Champions League-style competition in summer 2021.
UEFA are set to back a new summer Champions League-style pre-season tournamentCredit: AFP or licensors
Liverpool were crowned Club World Champions in Doha last yearCredit: Alamy Live News
Premier League chief execs met at the Dorchester Hotel in 2016 to discuss a potential new Champions League-style formatCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The report adds that the tournament, that has been put forward by American promoters Relevant Sports, would essentially be an expansion of the International Champions Cup.
SunSport told you back in 2016 that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool were discussing the make up of a new Champions League format.
The ICC, which was previously held exclusively in the USA, has served as a pre-season competition for Europe’s top clubs since 2013.
UEFA’s endorsement is now set to transform the series of exhibition games into a serious threat to FIFA’s plans to expand the Club World Cup to 24 teams.
Part of the proposals includes qualification to be based on domestic league position rather than it’s current invitation system.
The annual event will carry an eight-year agreement to initially be held Stateside before potentially being staged in Asia in subsequent years.
A tentative commitment from clubs to field their first-choice squads where possible has also been mooted for the three-team group format.
English giants Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham have all played in the ICC in recent years and are reportedly keen to be involved.
The benefits of the new-look tournament will give Premier League sides the opportunity for growth in both the US and Asia.
While the additional income could also help them resist growing pressure to add four matches to the Champions League.
The European Clubs’ Association (ECA) and Uefa announced the rule changes – to come into play from 2024 – which would threaten the EFL Cup’s existence.
Powerhouse clubs are keen to play more money-spinning European ties, although the Prem’s “Big Six” are understood to still be against the move, as reported by The Sun in August.
It has not been agreed how the extra matches will be added as lawmakers try to appease the ECA, who initially demanded ten more games.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid want to push through plans to leave La Liga and kick-start a new European Super League.
President Florentino Perez has given his backing for Los Blancos to quit the domestic scene and join the elite in their own full-season.
Perez has spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino to outline his vision that would include two separate leagues with 20 teams in each.
Infantino has already given the green light to make the Club World Cup a 24-team tournament from 2021.
It will be the first under the new format and will take place in China with six confederations involved, replacing the unpopular Confederations Cup.
Liverpool Win FIFA Club World Cup, becoming world champions for first time in their 127 year history
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
