The International Football Federations Thread

[Matt]

He can promise what he likes, Blatter has most of Asia and Africa sealed anyway. Unless Europe and the Americas vote unanimously for Figo, he hasn't a cat in hell's chance

[Lineker]

That's why the line "Redistributing $1bn of Fifa's $1.5bn cash reserves to the 209 national federations." is in there, critically.

[Colly]

I've gone off him now, most of those ideas are horrible.

[Adam]

So far, I'm still supporting Prince Ali.

Not that I have a vote or anything..

[Gazz]

He can promise what he likes, Blatter has most of Asia and Africa sealed anyway. Unless Europe and the Americas vote unanimously for Figo, he hasn't a cat in hell's chance

That's why the line "Redistributing $1bn of Fifa's $1.5bn cash reserves to the 209 national federations." is in there, critically.

And the 48 team World Cup, which appeals to nations that rarely/never make the finals.

I would imagine Figo will end up pulling out later on anyway, he doesn't have the administrative experience to take on the role. If he gets any decent backing, he'll probably form an alliance with someone to transfer over his votes in return for a cushy position at FIFA.

[Baddar]

A 48 team World Cup would be fucking awful.

[Lineker]

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar can only be held in November and December, says the head of Fifa's taskforce looking into possible dates for the tournament.

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa has ruled out a May tournament - the European leagues' preferred option.

Qatar's bid proposed a summer tournament, but temperatures in the Gulf state are believed to pose a potential risk to players' health.

A January/February tournament would clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics.

"All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans," Sheikh Salman said.

The proposal raises the prospect of a stand-off between the game's governing bodies and European clubs over domestic schedules and player availability for the tournament.

However, Uefa president Michel Platini has already said it will be a winter tournament and "that it's not possible to play in May when it's 40 degrees".

Sheikh Salman, president of the Asian Football Confederation, said there were two winter options - January/February or November/December - but cited a clash between January 2022 and the Winter Olympics as undesirable.

"We don't want it to collide during that period," he said.

"Stakeholders are concerned about playing in the summer, so we have to change to winter. That's January or November. They have to make a choice - either a) or b).

"But I think everybody agrees that in January or February it's difficult to play for the reasons that I mentioned before [Winter Olympics clash].

"The only option that I see is November/December."

However, a winter World Cup would also be problematic - not only for European league schedules, but for the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for January 2023 in Guinea.

Sheikh Salman said he hoped his proposal was "a done deal" and was hopeful a recommendation would be made at Tuesday's taskforce meeting in Doha. The tournament date will then be put to Fifa's executive committee for final approval in March.

"Hopefully we can settle this issue once and for all," he added.

A Premier League spokesman said the league's position was unchanged on the matter: "The 2022 World Cup was bid for and awarded to Qatar as a summer tournament. The prospect of a winter World Cup is neither workable nor desirable for European domestic football."

[Matt]

I'd love it if all the top UEFA federations pulled out but I'm not sure how much Spain, Germany, Italy, France, etc care about the issue compared to us

[TCO]

It'd be pretty amazing to see FIFA scuttling about trying for a solution if UEFA withdrew from the tournament. That'd be brilliant.

[Thrilla]

The more FIFA fuck things up over the Qatar World Cup the more I expect the big European countries to pull out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31620713

[Matt]

It's too hot to host a tournament in Qatar in the summer so they move the ACON to June. Sound logic.

[Baddar]

I'm going to guess that June in Africa isn't one of the hotter months anyway.

[DFF]

It's too hot to host a tournament in Qatar in the summer so they move the ACON to June. Sound logic.

I'm going to guess that June in Africa isn't one of the hotter months anyway.

I just looked up info on the hosts (Guinea). According to Wiki, June would in monsoon season. Also, the year-round average high for the capital is 29 C, with an average low of 23 C.

[stokeriño]

If they played ACON in one of the southern African nations then June would actually be quite sensible. Once you get near the equator it hardly matters, I suppose.

[The Lusophone]

But its in Ghana.

In the middle of their season iirc.

[Colly]

That's Ghana to be a tricky one to Accra-ommodate.

[DFF]

But its in Ghana.

In the middle of their season iirc.

It is in Guinea - though might not be after Guinea rejected the move of the dates to June.

[Lineker]

European champions Spain have fallen out of the top 10 in Fifa's rankings for the first time since 2007 after dropping to 11th in the latest standings. World Cup winners Germany top the list ahead of Argentina, Colombia, Belgium and the Netherlands, with Brazil sixth. England are 17th with Wales 37th, Scotland 39th, Northern Ireland 43rd and the Republic of Ireland 66th.

[Lineker]

Fifa has expelled Zimbabwe from qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after they failed to pay their national team coach. Fifa's disciplinary committee says it took the action "as a result of the non-payment of an outstanding debt" by Zimbabwe's football federation to Brazilian coach Jose Claudinei Georgini, nicknamed Valinhos, who managed the national team from January to November 2008. They payments were not made, despite a grace period.

[Lineker]

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has rejected a joint offer from the BBC and Sky to take part in a televised presidential election debate.

His three rivals accepted the invitation but insisted all candidates must take part in the debate as a condition of their participation.

The BBC and Sky proposal was based around fans asking questions to the candidates.

The Fifa presidential election is due to take place on 29 May in Zurich.

The other candidates in the Fifa presidency election are Jordanian FA president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Dutch FA president Michael van Praag and former Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Portugal winger Luis Figo.

Blatter, 79, is seeking a fifth term of office.

At this stage, the candidates were asked only to express a commitment in principle towards taking part.

Further talks between the broadcasters and candidates would then have taken place over the exact format, location and structure of the debate.