Uefa are set to back a summer Champions League-style competition to rival the FIFA Club World Cup, as the battle between football’s two major governing bodies continues.
The rivalry between the pair primarily stems from their respective leaders, with plenty of ill-feeling between UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Tensions between the two are now set to go up a notch, as the Daily Mail reports that Uefa are in advanced talks with American producers Relevant Sport about endorsing and expanding the International Champions Cup.
ALSO READ: Five times footballers and managers physically clashed with fans
The new competition would be due to clash with the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, which takes place in Shanghai in June and July next year.
The International Champions Cup is currently an invitational summer tournament run by Relevant Sport, which some of Europe’s top clubs compete in annually as part of their pre-season preparations.
UEFA coming on board would see the series of what are essentially exhibition matches replaced with a full-blown competitive tournament.
ALSO READ: Niger Delta youths warn NSA over Amnesty, demand Dokubo’s replacement from region
According to the report, participation in the competition would be decided through a qualification process based on domestic league positions as opposed to the current invitational format, aiming to give the competition added prestige.
The tournament would initially be held in the United States but could see future tournaments held in Asia. The International Champions Cup is primarily hosted in the US and Canada but has previously taken place in China, Mexico, and Australia.
Like the Champions League, the competition would begin with a group stage, but consisting of pools of just three teams, prior to the knock-out rounds.
Fotmob
Disclaimer
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.