FIFA calendar project: losses of up to €3bn over 4 years for European federations (UEFA)

European federations alone could lose up to €3bn (£2.6bn) over four years if the calendar proposed by FIFA is introduced, according to a study by British consultants Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates, commissioned by UEFA and presented to the heads of the 55 national member associations in the UEFA zone on 19/10/2021.

FIFA is proposing to group the national teams' qualifying matches into two international windows, in October and March (or even just one in October), and then to schedule a World Cup or continental championships alternately at the end of the season, as explained by Arsène Wenger (FRA), FIFA's chief of global football development, to the French sports daily L'Équipe on 03/09/2021.

The study commissioned by UEFA estimates the losses over four years for European federations at €2.5bn in the scenario with two international windows, and at €3bn with a single window in October. These losses are mainly linked to ticketing, broadcasting rights and sponsorship, according to the French newspaper Le Monde on 19/10/2021, which had access to the document.

"UEFA sold the broadcasting rights…