Biennial World Cup project: IOC "concerned" and calls for "a wider consultation"

"The IOC supports the calls of stakeholders of football, international sports federations and major event organisers for a wider consultation, including with athletes' representatives, which has obviously not taken place," said the International Olympic Committee following its executive board meeting on 16/10/2021.

The consequences of organising the men's and women's World Cups every two years instead of four at present, is the subject of a feasibility study voted for by 166 votes to 22 at the 71^st FIFA Congress on 21/05/2021.

"We will only make changes if it benefits everyone. No-one should be a loser in this, everyone should be better off at the end of the day," said Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, on 30/09/2021.

If the project for a biennial football World Cup is realised, the first edition organised in a leap year, i.e. during the same period as the Summer Olympics, would take place in 2028, two years after the 2026 World Cup scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and in the same season as the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

"The World Cup every two…