Tag: UEFA

  • ‘Bad idea’ for 2030 World Cup to have 64 teams, says UEFA

    ‘Bad idea’ for 2030 World Cup to have 64 teams, says UEFA

    UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Thursday it would be “a bad idea” for FIFA to expand the World Cup to 64 nations for the 2030 tournament.

    The 2026 edition in the United States, Mexico and Canada will already see the format increase from 32 teams to 48.

    But the head of the Uruguayan football federation, Ignacio Alonso, suggested further expanding the tournament at the last FIFA Council meeting in March.

    Football’s global governing body said it “had a duty to analyse” the proposal, which European chief Ceferin denounced at UEFA’s congress in Belgrade.

    “It’s maybe even more surprising for me than for you. I think it’s a bad idea,” Ceferin said.

    “I think it’s not a good idea for the World Cup itself and it’s not a good idea for our qualifiers as well, as you know.

    “So, I’m not supporting that idea. I don’t know where it came from. It’s strange that we didn’t know anything before this proposal at the FIFA Council.”

    The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents, with Portugal, Spain and Morocco the main hosts.

    There will also be three matches in South America — in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay — to celebrate the centenary edition. The inaugural World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay.

    That decision paved the way for Saudi Arabia to hold the 2034 event.

  • UEFA fines Real Madrid for ‘discriminatory behaviour’ in Champions League

    UEFA fines Real Madrid for ‘discriminatory behaviour’ in Champions League

    Real Madrid were on Friday punished for the behaviour of their fans during the second leg of the Champions League play-off against Manchester City.

    In the decision, UEFA, the governing body of European football, found Real’s fans guilty of “discriminatory behaviour”.

    Neither the television footage nor journalists present reported any incidents during Madrid’s 3-1 home victory on February 19 over Manchester City that sent the reigning champions through to the last 16.

    The statement said the fans had violated Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, which punishes “racism, other discriminatory behavior, and propaganda”.

    UEFA fined Real 30,000 euros (31,000 dollars) and also threatened the club with a partial closure of “at least 500 adjacent seats” at the 78,297-capacity Santiago Bernabeu stadium if there are further incidents in the next two years.

    Several dozen national teams and clubs are currently subject to the same suspended sanction, including Real’s two main rivals in Spain, Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid, for similar offenses.

  • UEFA bans referee, David Coote, filmed criticising Liverpool

    UEFA bans referee, David Coote, filmed criticising Liverpool

    European football’s governing body UEFA has banned disgraced ex-Premier League referee David Coote from any officiating activity until June 2026.

    Coote, 42, was sacked by Premier League Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) in December after a video emerged showing him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and the club’s former manager Jurgen Klopp.

    A separate video subsequently showed Coote snorting white powder, reportedly during Euro 2024, and PGMOL said the official was in serious breach of his employment contract and his actions made his position “untenable”.

    UEFA’s control, ethics, and disciplinary body met last week and ruled Coote had violated the basic rules of decent conduct and brought football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute.

    In a January interview, Coote came out as gay and said his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to bad choices, such as the video about Liverpool and his use of drugs.

    He said he was “truly sorry for any offense caused by my actions”.

  • UEFA considering scrapping extra time for Champions League knockout rounds

    UEFA considering scrapping extra time for Champions League knockout rounds

    UEFA is considering scrapping extra time in Champions League knockout rounds to reduce player workload, with discussions gaining momentum.

    The idea of moving directly to penalties is being seriously debated, though any change is unlikely before the current TV rights cycle ends in 2027, according to Guardian UK.

    Extra time has long been a concern, especially with congested schedules due to the expanded Champions League group stage and upcoming expanded Fifa Club World Cup.

    Some argue abolishing extra time would alleviate pressure on players, particularly those facing qualifying rounds in the summer.

    Clubs with tighter squads may welcome the change, as it levels the playing field, while broadcasters could benefit from more predictable schedules.

    UEFA has confirmed the issue has been informally raised but has not yet been formally proposed for ratification by its executive committee.