Fifa want World Cup every THREE YEARS despite Gianni Infantino’s failed plan for biennial tournament

WHEN it comes to the World Cup, you can’t keep a bad idea down.

No sooner had Gianni Infantino admitted defeat in his plan for a World Cup every two years, than he started up the alternative.

Now the Fifa president is seeking to hold the greatest show on Earth every THREE years as part of a 36-month tournament cycle.

Under the new Infantino blueprint, year one would see his expanded, 24-team, Club World Cup.

The middle summer would bring continental championships, such as the Euros and Copa America. And year three will be dominated by the World Cup.

Infantino hinted at the idea after last week’s congress of the 211-member associations in Doha, arguing it was “important to do something . . . whether it’s a World Cup every two years or every three years”.

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Fifa insiders were pointing to that line as the next battleground with Infantino aware of the backlash.

But as he pointed out in Doha: “We could have gone for a vote and got a majority.”

Get ready for another massive fight, just as everybody has taken off their gloves.

Laureas contenders

BRITS Emma Raducanu, Tom Daley, Mark Cavendish and Sky Brown are all in the frame when the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards are held in Seville on April 24.

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US Open champ Raducanu is a favourite for the Newcomer prize with Manx Rocket Cavendish in line to be handed the Comeback gong.

Daly a wet thing

THE torrential rain that turned Augusta ­National into a lake put a ­dampener on John Daly’s money-making plans.

‘Wild Thing’ Daly, the former Open and USPGA champion, has set up camp for Masters week in the parking lot of the local Hooters restaurant to sell merchandise.

But with patrons sent home before 11am on Tuesday ahead of the almighty flood, Daly was struggling to get his head above water. And on his fourth marriage at 55, he sure has some bills to pay.

Clarke left in the dark

SCOTLAND and Wales are waiting on Fifa to confirm IF the World Cup play-off semi-final with Ukraine at Hampden will go ahead.

Fifa must set the dates for that match and the final against Wales to decide the last remaining spot alongside England, Iran and the USA in Group B in Qatar.

While Scotland are aware of the delicacy of the situation and want to play Ukraine as planned, manager Steve Clarke needs to know his side’s precise summer schedule with four Nations League matches to be played in June too.

It means Fifa realistically have until the first week of May to determine if Ukraine can play at the start of the following month or withdraw, meaning the Scots will go through to the final in Cardiff.

Merger scrapped

THE planned merger of the Belgium and Dutch top divisions has been junked.

Top-flight teams from both countries voted in March 2021 in favour of the scheme to create a “BeNeLiga” worth up to £350million a year in TV rights.

But clubs in Holland have now put their clogs into the scheme, arguing the renewed competitiveness of Eredivisie sides in Europe renders the need for the new league redundant.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk