FIFA's exec committee approved a package of planned reforms on Thursday aimed at "cleaning up football's scandal-plagued world governing body," proposing term limits for senior officials and "increased representation for women," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. The proposals, which would also reduce the power of the exec committee, will be presented in February to FIFA's Congress, "which has the power to alter its statutes." At the same time, the exec committee delayed a decision on a "controversial proposal to expand the World Cup from 32 to 40 teams." FIFA acting President Issa Hayatou said, "These reforms are moving FIFA towards improved governance, greater transparency and more accountability." Under the proposals, FIFA's president and leading officials would be restricted to three terms of four years each, "and would be subjected to centralised integrity checks before assuming office." Political and management roles, "currently both held by the executive committee," would be separated (REUTERS, 12/3). YAHOO's Mark Lawford reported a FIFA Council, which would replace the exec committee, would be responsible for "setting the organisation's overall strategic direction, while the general secretariat will oversee the operational and commercial actions required to effectively execute that strategy." FIFA said that there would "also be at least one female representative on the FIFA Council for each of the six continental confederations." A proposal to enlarge the World Cup was put on hold. FIFA said, "There was no decision on this proposal, but it will be further debated." Many people involved in football believe that 32 "is the ideal number of participants for a World Cup, and that a larger tournament would be less manageable and suffer a drop in quality" (YAHOO, 12/3). In London, Ben Rumsby reported World Cup expansion was discussed by the ExCo on Wednesday after being "controversially proposed" by FIFA's reform committee as part of a series of recommendations to "tackle the corruption crisis that has engulfed the governing body." FA Vice Chair and FIFA VP David Gill said, "This is such a major decision that it needs proper analysis. There needs to be full consultation with the stakeholders, including the clubs, players and fans, and a proper analysis of all the implications including commercially and in football terms." Critics argue expansion would "dilute the quality." However, last year’s World Cup in Brazil appeared to "demonstrate the gap in quality was closing between teams in the group stages" (TELEGRAPH, 12/3).
AFRICA, ASIA ON BOARD: In London, Owen Gibson reported German FIFA exec committee member Wolfgang Niersbach said that the main focal point of the meeting was a "very comprehensive reform package." He confirmed that the idea of expanding the World Cup was "heavily backed by African and Asian members" of the ex-co. The change is being seen as an attempt to "appeal to the majority" of the 209 FIFA members who feel UEFA currently has too many spots at the 32-team tournament. UEFA will have 14 places at the next World Cup in Russia, "up to 10 more than the next best-represented confederation." The Oceania Football Confederation currently has no guaranteed place (GUARDIAN, 12/3). Also in London, Josh Burrows reported the move would be a "huge change" to the present format of 32 teams in the finals and could mean "another 32 matches in the group stage, adding another week to the tournament" which is already 31 days in length, and taking the total number of matches to 96. The change would come into force for the 2026 World Cup. The "most likely way of accommodating the eight extra teams would be having eight groups of five teams" (LONDON TIMES, 12/3).
