Latest news with #VictorMontagliani
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Infantino says 'every idea is a good idea' after suggestion of 64-team 2030 World Cup
ASUNCION, May 15 (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared on Thursday to give some support to South American confederation CONMEBOL's idea of having 64 teams in the 2030 World Cup, saying that "every idea is a good idea" and should be reviewed. In his inaugural address at the 75th FIFA Congress in Paraguay, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said all member associations should think creatively to ensure no one is left out of the tournament, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, hosted and won by Uruguay. "The 100-year celebration will be something special. And I want to underline the words of Alejandro (Dominguez) in this speech. He told all of us to think on how we can really celebrate it in the way it deserves to be celebrated. So every idea is a good idea," Infantino said in his closing remarks. The 2026 World Cup, which will be played next year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has been expanded to 48 teams. CONMEBOL wants the next World Cup, which will be played in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and also include matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, to have 64 teams. After the Congress, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani reiterated his disagreement. "I've already made a comment on that, no it's not a great idea, and you know, I think that we haven't even kicked the ball for 48 (in 2026), and I think, obviously they can study all they want, but it just doesn't feel right," Montagliani told reporters.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Vancouver selected to host FIFA Congress ahead of 2026 Men's World Cup
Vancouver will host the 76th FIFA Congress on April 30, 2026, bringing representatives of all 211 members of the world governing body of soccer to Canada ahead of the World Cup. The announcement was made Thursday at the 75th FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay. "I am delighted to confirm that the 76th FIFA Congress will be held in Vancouver, Canada, on the 30th of April 2026," FIFA president Gianni Infantino told the Congress. "We very much look forward to welcoming you all in Vancouver ... a beautiful host city of the FIFA World Cup in 2026." Held since 1904, the FIFA Congress is traditionally held in the World Cup host country the year of the tournament. In earning hosting rights, Canada wins out over co-hosts the U.S. and Mexico. The Congress took place in Montreal in 1976 when João Havelange was FIFA president. "It's one of the major events annually for FIFA," Victor Montagliani, a Vancouver native who doubles as CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president, said in an interview. "Outside of a World Cup or a competition, it's our biggest event because it's our annual meeting." The Congress will be a boon to local tourism with three-plus delegates from each country, plus representatives from FIFA's six confederations, media and stakeholders. The world's governing body usually stages a legends game around the meeting, drawing in familiar faces from the pitch. "As part of the bid, we always committed to bringing other events to Canada, as well as Mexico and the United States," said Peter Montopoli, chief tournament officer for the Canadian end of the 2026 tournament. "During the course of the lead-up, certainly a lot of the workshops and things have been centrally located, for travel purposes, which would be America. It makes sense. Is hosting the FIFA World Cup worth the ballooning costs? 1 year ago Duration 1:59 Toronto and Vancouver are slated to host 13 FIFA World Cup games in 2026, and the security budgets have gone up by tens of millions of dollars. Some are asking if it's worth it. 'Festival of football' "But this one [the Congress] is the big winner because it brings the most members, the most people and the most tourism." Montagliani calls the Congress a "festival of football." "There's also business that needs to be done," he added. The 2026 agenda will include deciding the hosts of the 2031 and '35 Women's World Cups. The U.S. Soccer Federation has confirmed its interest in submitting a joint bid with other CONCACAF member associations to host the 2031 women's tournament. England's Football Association, the Irish Football Association, the Scottish Football Association and the Football Association of Wales have confirmed their interest in submitting a joint bid for the 2035 tournament. Each of the 211 members has one vote in the Congress. The 75th Congress coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Paraguayan Football Association's affiliation to FIFA. It was also timely with South America set to stage the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil and the FIFA World Cup centenary celebration matches in 2030 (in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay). The 2026 World Cup runs June 11 to July 19.
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.
Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
It's time UK hosted men's World Cup again, says Fifa leader
The United Kingdom has been urged to bid to host the men's World Cup by one of football's most powerful leaders. Victor Montagliani, a Fifa vice-president who runs football in north and central America and the Caribbean as president of the Concacaf organisation, said that he believed 'it was time' for the tournament to return to the UK. He also said that an England-led bid should be encouraged by Fifa's new strategy of awarding tournaments that avoids expensive bidding contests and the 'shenanigans' around votes in the past. England has not attempted to bid for the men's tournament after the controversial vote in 2010 for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups when it was alleged that Fifa members were bribed to vote for Russia and
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
FIFA chief urges England to bid to host World Cup for the first time since 1966 after 2018 effort - fronted by Prince William and David Beckham - fell flat on its face
A leading FIFA official has called for England to host the World Cup for the first time since their home success in 1966. The tournament in 1966 - which is now 59 years ago - represents the nation's only World Cup triumph after they beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley courtesy of a Sir Geoff Hurst hat-trick. FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani - who runs football in north and central America, as well as the Caribbean in his role as president of the Concacaf - suggested England should be encouraged to throw their hat into the ring to host the tournament again. In 2010, England bid to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively. After European nations were effectively disqualified from hosting 2022, they instead focused on 2018. But England - whose bid was fronted by the likes of Prince William and David Beckham - received just two out of 22 votes from the FIFA executive committee in the first round of voting in a process mired in a corruption scandal. Montagliani has said the FA should try to play hosts again, with the United Kingdom as a whole apparently an ideal place for the global showpiece to be held. 1966 represented England's only win in a men's World Cup, with them beating West Germany 4-2 in the final 'I can't see why, not just England but the United Kingdom shouldn't be hosting the World Cup,' the official told The Times. '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 upcoming World Cups will be held in five different continents. 2026 will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Portugal, Spain and Morocco to play hosts four years later. Anniversary matches will also take place in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. 2034 has recently been awarded to Saudi Arabia in Asia. Recent bids were awarded without going through a vote on rival bids. '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,' Montagliani added. '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.' The UK will host the 2035 Women's World Cup, which could provide a launching pad for another bid to host the men's competition.
