Latest news with #Čeferin
Roya News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Allowing ‘Israel' to compete 'is our decision,' says UEFA President Čeferin
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has publicly acknowledged that the participation of 'Israeli' clubs and national teams in European tournaments is "a legitimate question". The remarks, made during an interview with Slovenian media, follow a period of heightened scrutiny and criticism directed at the football governing body. The pressure on UEFA intensified after the death of Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid, which prompted a public query from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah about the circumstances of his killing. This was followed by UEFA's decision to display a banner at the UEFA Super Cup final reading "Stop Killing Children - Stop Killing Civilians.' Despite acknowledging the debate, Čeferin defended UEFA's current stance, stating he is "in principle" not in favor of banning athletes from competing. He drew a comparison to the ongoing ban on Russian teams, noting that after more than three years, the war has only worsened, and argued that other issues should be "resolved differently". 'For now, this is our decision. It is very difficult for me to comment on what could happen in the future,' Čeferin said. Critics, including a UN special rapporteur and human rights groups, have called UEFA's current policy a "glaring" double standard when compared to its 2022 suspension of all Russian teams and clubs.
Ya Biladi
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
UEFA President rejects proposal for 64-team World Cup in 2030
The President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Aleksander Čeferin, expressed his rejection of the idea of organizing a World Cup with 64 teams in 2030 during a press conference held on Thursday, April 3, calling it a «bad idea». Čeferin responded to a question about the proposal raised at the FIFA Council meeting on March 5, stating, «This proposal might surprise me more than it surprises you. I think it's a bad idea». This proposal was put forward by the President of the Uruguayan Football Association, Ignacio Alonso, even though the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will already expand the number of teams from 32 to 48. FIFA, in turn, referred to the proposal as «spontaneous» and confirmed that it would analyze it, but did not reveal the stance of its President, Gianni Infantino, on the matter. The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with three celebratory matches marking the centenary of the World Cup to be held in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Čeferin emphasized that expanding the tournament is not in the best interest of the World Cup or its qualifying rounds, stating, «I think this is not good for the tournament itself, nor is it suitable for our qualification system», and pointed out that each continental federation is responsible for organizing its qualifiers.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UEFA's Čeferin calls 64-team men's World Cup plan 'a bad idea'
A push to expand the men's 2030 World Cup to 64 teams is 'a bad idea,' UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said on Thursday. Čeferin is a FIFA vice president who was part of a March 6 online meeting of the world soccer body's ruling council when the unexpected proposal was made by a delegate from Uruguay. Advertisement 'This proposal was maybe even more surprising for me than you," Čeferin said at a news conference after UEFA's annual meeting in Belgrade, Serbia. 'I think it is a bad idea." Adding 16 more teams to the 48-team lineup that will debut next year in North America appears to have support from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who typically backs competition expansion as a way to raise money and drive development of the game globally. Critics of the 64-team proposal have argued it will weaken the quality of play — in what would likely be a sprawling 128-game format — and devalue the qualifying program in most continents with extra entries on offer. 'It is not a good idea for the World Cup itself and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well,' Čeferin said. Advertisement UEFA has 16 entries in the 2026 World Cup which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico. It reset the European qualifying format with more groups, now 12, and many teams playing fewer games spread over just 10 weeks from September through November this year. Čeferin also cast doubt on the origin of the idea from Uruguay, which is set to host one game in 2030 in what is already the most complex World Cup across three continents to celebrate the tournament's centenary. UEFA members Spain and Portugal are co-hosting with Morocco, but agreed to let South American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have one game each to mark the 100-year anniversary. The 1930 edition was hosted by Uruguay. 'It is strange that we did not know anything before this proposal at the FIFA council,' Čeferin said. 'I don't know where it came from." Advertisement Infantino made a keynote speech earlier Thursday to UEFA's 55 member federations though made no reference to a 64-team World Cup. FIFA has given no details of how and when it will consider the proposal. FIFA has its annual congress of 211 member federations on May 15 in Paraguay capital Asuncion. ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
UEFA's Čeferin calls 64-team men's World Cup plan ‘a bad idea'
A push to expand the men's 2030 World Cup to 64 teams is 'a bad idea,' UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said on Thursday. Čeferin is a FIFA vice president who was part of a March 6 online meeting of the world soccer body's ruling council when the unexpected proposal was made by a delegate from Uruguay. 'This proposal was maybe even more surprising for me than you,' Čeferin said at a news conference after UEFA's annual meeting in Belgrade, Serbia. 'I think it is a bad idea.' Adding 16 more teams to the 48-team lineup that will debut next year in North America appears to have support from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who typically backs competition expansion as a way to raise money and drive development of the game globally. Critics of the 64-team proposal have argued it will weaken the quality of play — in what would likely be a sprawling 128-game format — and devalue the qualifying program in most continents with extra entries on offer. 'It is not a good idea for the World Cup itself and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well,' Čeferin said. UEFA has 16 entries in the 2026 World Cup which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico. It reset the European qualifying format with more groups, now 12, and many teams playing fewer games spread over just 10 weeks from September through November this year. Čeferin also cast doubt on the origin of the idea from Uruguay, which is set to host one game in 2030 in what is already the most complex World Cup across three continents to celebrate the tournament's centenary. UEFA members Spain and Portugal are co-hosting with Morocco, but agreed to let South American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have one game each to mark the 100-year anniversary. The 1930 edition was hosted by Uruguay. 'It is strange that we did not know anything before this proposal at the FIFA council,' Čeferin said. 'I don't know where it came from.' Infantino made a keynote speech earlier Thursday to UEFA's 55 member federations though made no reference to a 64-team World Cup. FIFA has given no details of how and when it will consider the proposal. FIFA has its annual congress of 211 member federations on May 15 in Paraguay capital Asuncion.
