Upstart Dream Football League Will Offer Soccer Clubs Big Paydays

The Qatari royal family-backed "Dream Football League" next month will release plans for a new club tournament that it "hopes to establish as a rival to the Champions League and the Club World Cup." Clubs such as EPL's Manchester United and La Liga's FC Barcelona will reportedly be offered "enormous financial inducements" of US$262M in the 24-team tournament to be held every two years. The move "represent a clear threat to the existing powerbases" of FIFA and UEFA (LONDON TIMES, 3/13).

The story is getting big play, as the “astonishing plan could redraw the world football map if it gains support” (LONDON TELEGRAPH, 3/12). But some wonder if Qatar’s “billion-dollar biennial football extravaganza might be an elaborate hoax” (INDEPENDENT.co.uk, 3/13).