France manager Didier Deschamps has made his feelings known about the finalised 2030 World Cup plans.
- Deschamps unhappy with 2030 plans
- Called out travel burden for European teams
- Saudi Arabia heavy favourites to host in 2034
WHAT HAPPENED? FIFA announced last week that the 2030 World Cup will be the first to take place on three continents. The tournament is set to start in South America, before shifting to the original bid made by Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
WHAT THEY SAID: The decision has been met with criticism in some corners for the expected hefty travel that will come with the plans. And Deschamps had some gripes of his own.
“Beyond the fact that it’s a trend, organising it over multiple countries, there is also the distinctive aspect of matches being held on the continent of South America. I don’t know which countries will be involved, it will mean that the South American countries will be at an advantage and then the other countries will have to move around,” he said in a press conference.
Deschamps also called out a lack of coherence in FIFA’s decision making: “I don’t know who makes the decisions, but I won’t hide from you the fact that I like things that are, on a sporting and ethical level, coherent. I don’t think there is much coherence there.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: FIFA announced plans for the first three fixtures of the 2030 competition to be held in South America in honor of the centenary of football’s biggest tournament, which was first played in Uruguay in 1930. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will host one game each, before the European and African football federations will combine for the remainder of the tournament.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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WHAT NEXT? With the plans for 2030 finalised, attention now turns to the 2034 tournament, with Saudi Arabia considered as heavy favourites to host.