Latest news with #Montagliani
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
FIFA chief tells FA exactly where they stand over bid to host 2038 World Cup
The UK has not hosted the World Cup since the nation's only success in 1966 but a FIFA big wig is backing a fresh bid to see the tournament returning to the home nations very soon Football could finally be set to come home, with a major FIFA chief backing England to host the 2038 World Cup. The UK have hosted the tournament just once in it's near 100-year history, with the Three Lions recording their solitary success in 1966. Since then, FIFA have adopted a rotating approach to dishing out hosting rights with each continent receiving the tournament every 12 years. The previous World Cup was hosted by Qatar. The next edition will be shared between Canada, Mexico and the United States, while 2030 will also be divided between Morocco, Portugal and Spain - albeit there will be special anniversary matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. 2034 hosts have also been confirmed as Saudi Arabia. But FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani has given his backing to the UK returning to the hosting roster very soon. England previously applied to host the 2006 and 2018 World Cups but lost out on both occasions. Speaking to The Times, Montagliani said: "I can't see why, not just England but the United Kingdom shouldn't be hosting the World Cup. I think it would be a fantastic World Cup and I think they should seriously think of putting their foot forward to host. We all know what the game means in the UK and I think it's time.' The hosting decisions have garnered criticism from supporters over recent years, with some federations spending huge sums on their bids, only to see them fail. But Montagliani claims the current approach is the correct one to make it fair for all countries. He added: "I support what we have done in recent history, I think it's the only way. Now it shouldn't be the Fifa president's decision alone, he has a board, he has a council. 'But I think the old way we used to do it where people just waste their money and then all these shenanigans happen. That's ridiculous. Let's get away from that. 'Let's become a proper business. Let's have an event management strategy so that we're properly rotating it, everybody gets a crack at it. 'The reality is that the World Cup generates 80 to 90 per cent of Fifa's income, which then sends 80 per cent of that back to its members for the development of football. "And if Fifa doesn't generate that money there is a significant number of the 211 countries that do not have the funds to develop football.' England, who are two games into their qualifying campaign, are one of the favourites to finally end 50 years of hurt next summer under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel. The Three Lions reached the semi-finals in 2018, only to lose out to Croatia. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2022 but fell to eventual finalists France in Qatar.
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's time' – England could host World Cup after seven decades as Fifa chief tells FA to ‘seriously think' about it
ENGLAND could host the World Cup after a SEVEN-DECADE wait following a top Fifa figure's encouragement to bid for the tournament. The nation hasn't bid for the tournament since the controversial 2010 vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in 4 England hasn't hosted the World Cup since lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966 Credit: GETTY 4 The FA failed to land the 2018 or 2022 World Cups Credit: GETTY 4 Fifa Vice-President Victor Montagliani believes it's time the tournament returns to Old Blighty Credit: GETTY And Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani believes it's high time the tournament returns to these shores. During an interview with England but the United Kingdom shouldn't be hosting the World Cup. "I think it would be a fantastic World Cup and I think they should seriously think of putting their foot forward to host. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS "We all know what the game means in the UK and I think it's time.' The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States , Canada and Mexico , while the 2030 tournament set to be split across Spain , Portugal , Morocco and South America. The Women's World Cup will take place in the UK in 2035 and could be a potential catalyst for the men's tournament to return to these shores in 2038 or 2042. Most read in Football JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 England could bid to host the 2038 or 2042 World Cups Credit: Getty Speaking on Fifa's rotation model, Montagliani said: "I support what we have done in recent history , I think it's the only way. "Now it shouldn't be the Fifa president's decision alone, he has a board, he has a council. Major change to World Cup final confirmed by Fifa chief Gianni Infantino with Coldplay to perform half-time show 'But I think the old way we used to do it where people just waste their money and then all these shenanigans happen. That's ridiculous. Let's get away from that. 'Let's become a proper business . Let's have an event management strategy so that we're properly rotating it, everybody gets a crack at it. 'The reality is that the World Cup generates 80 to 90 per cent of Fifa's income, which then sends 80 per cent of that back to its members for the development of football. "And if Fifa doesn't generate that money there is a significant number of the 211 countries that do not have the funds to develop football.' Next year's North American World Cup will be the first tournament to include 48 teams. But South American footie chiefs have called for future tournaments to be expanded to an incredible 64 TEAMS , a total Montagliani believes would devalue the prestige which comes with qualifying for the competition He said: "Sixty-four teams is just too much in my opinion . We still haven't kicked the ball for 48 teams, although I think we'll be fine. 'We're OK where we are and I'm not comfortable with any more — scarcity is still important. "It still needs to be difficult to get to a World Cup and I think at 48 you're still going to have some nations you may think should be at a World Cup but fail to qualify.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
CONCACAF chief rejects 64-team World Cup plan for 2030
The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to feature 64 teams has received a serious blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the idea. The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows similar stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). "I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players," Montagliani told ESPN. The World Cup will expand from 32 to teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico but CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez recently proposed going to 64 nations for 2030. Dominguez said such a move could be a one-off for the centenary edition of the tournament which will be hosted in Spain, Portugal and Morocco but also feature a game in three different South American nations. But Montagliani said it was far too early to even be thinking about further expansion. "We haven't even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don't think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table," he said. On Saturday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed opposition. "Personally, I don't agree," the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding the 2030 edition had settled on 48 teams "so the matter is settled". "If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams, but someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams," Sheikh Salman said on the sidelines of the 35th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur. "Where would we end up then? It would become chaos." UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had called the proposal a "bad idea". It remains to be seen what stance the FIFA leadership will take on the idea but secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said the world body would "analyse" the South American proposal. sev/mw
Al-Ahram Weekly
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
CONCACAF chief rejects 64-team World Cup plan for 2030 - World
The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to feature 64 teams has received a serious blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the idea. The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows similar stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). "I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players," Montagliani told ESPN. The World Cup will expand from 32 to teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico but CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez recently proposed going to 64 nations for 2030. Dominguez said such a move could be a one-off for the centenary edition of the tournament which will be hosted in Spain, Portugal and Morocco but also feature a game in three different South American nations. But Montagliani said it was far too early to even be thinking about further expansion. "We haven't even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don't think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table," he said. On Saturday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed opposition. "Personally, I don't agree," the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding the 2030 edition had settled on 48 teams "so the matter is settled". "If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams, but someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams," Sheikh Salman said on the sidelines of the 35th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur. "Where would we end up then? It would become chaos." UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had called the proposal a "bad idea". It remains to be seen what stance the FIFA leadership will take on the idea but secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said the world body would "analyse" the South American proposal. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
CONCACAF chief rejects 64-team World Cup plan for 2030
Victor Montagliani, the president of CONCACAF, has rejected the South American proposal for a 64-team World Cup in 2030 (Megan Briggs) The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to feature 64 teams has received a serious blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the idea. The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows similar stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Advertisement "I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players," Montagliani told ESPN. The World Cup will expand from 32 to teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico but CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez recently proposed going to 64 nations for 2030. Dominguez said such a move could be a one-off for the centenary edition of the tournament which will be hosted in Spain, Portugal and Morocco but also feature a game in three different South American nations. But Montagliani said it was far too early to even be thinking about further expansion. Advertisement "We haven't even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don't think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table," he said. On Saturday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed opposition. "Personally, I don't agree," the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding the 2030 edition had settled on 48 teams "so the matter is settled". "If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams, but someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams," Sheikh Salman said on the sidelines of the 35th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur. Advertisement "Where would we end up then? It would become chaos." UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had called the proposal a "bad idea". It remains to be seen what stance the FIFA leadership will take on the idea but secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said the world body would "analyse" the South American proposal. sev/mw
