Saudi Arabia approves new financial settlement rules for corruption cases    IMCTC launches second phase of Sahel Countries Program in Niger    Riyadh Season 2024 attracts over 18 million visitors    Disaster happened in 'world's most controlled airspace'    American and father of youngest hostages among those due for release from Gaza Saturday    Palestinian born after father was jailed hugs him for the first time    FireAid: Stars take to stage for LA benefit concert    Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull dies at 78    Saudi, Russian foreign ministers discuss regional issues in phone call    MWL chief meets Italian president in Rome; thanking him for supporting two-state solution    Ettifaq sack Steven Gerrard after poor results, appoint Saad Al-Shehri as new head coach    National Cybersecurity Authority launches 2nd phase of Postgraduate Scholarship Program    GASTAT: Real GDP records growth of 4.4% in Q4 2024    Saudi Arabia launches inaugural Art Week Riyadh on April 6-13    HP is redefining the Future of Work with AI    Mona Lisa to be moved as part of major Louvre overhaul    Neymar bids heartfelt goodbye to Al-Hilal: I will always support you    Al-Nassr announces transfer of Brazilian forward Talisca to Fenerbahçe    SFDA chief rules out plan to ban sale of cigarettes or vapes    Al Hilal and Neymar mutually agree to part ways    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



FIFA's Infantino wants to expand women's World Cup to 32 teams
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 05 - 07 - 2019

FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to expand the women's World Cup to 32 teams from 24 for the next edition in 2023 along with doubling the prize money to $60 million, he said on Friday.
Ahead of the women's World Cup final on Sunday between holders the United States and the Netherlands, Infantino said he would take his proposals to the FIFA council and member associations for approval.
"I want to expand the tournament to 32 teams," he told a news conference.
"We will have to act quickly to decide if we are to increase it for 2023, if we do, we should reopen the bidding process to allow everyone to have a chance or maybe co-host. Nothing is impossible."
The deadline for submitting bid documents to host the next World Cup was in April, with a host due to be appointed in March 2020 by the FIFA council. However, those plans may now change should the expansion get the go ahead.
Nine countries have so far submitted bids including Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea.
Infantino hailed the 2019 tournament in France as "the best women's World Cup ever", citing figures that show the global reach will exceed 1 billion viewers across all platforms.
He said it was an opportunity to build on the game with a number of proposals.
One of which was doubling the total prize money of the World Cup to $60 million. The men's edition in Russia last year, featuring 32 teams, had a total prize money pot of $400 million.
"I would like to propose a Club World Cup for women starting as soon as possible, next year or the year after," Infantino said.
"We need a Club World Cup which can be played even every year to expose clubs from all over the world, to make clubs invest even more in women's football, to really shine on the world stage."
The men's Club World Cup has had 15 editions since being established in 2005 and is an annual tournament.
Infantino pledged FIFA would increase its investment in women's soccer worldwide to $1 billion (from $0.5bn) over the next four-year cycle.
He also spoke of wanting to create an international women's league, with promotion and relegation like the Nations League in the men's game, to improve competitiveness in the World Cup.
"In many parts of the world, unfortunately, qualification for the World Cup even is just based on a tournament, there is no proper qualification," Infantino said.
"Even where there is ... there are preliminary rounds where some teams get eliminated after two games and then for four years they don't play women's football anymore. We cannot let this happen." — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.