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FIFA proposes new mini-World Cup competition

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - OCTOBER 20:  The FIFA logo is seen outside the FIFA headquarters prior to the FIFA Executive Committee Meeting on October 20, 2011

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed staging a new tournament, featuring eight international teams, every two years.

The tournament, known as the 'Final 8', would be the climax of a global Nations League competition, which is part of an ambitious plan to reform international football which FIFA believes could be worth $25billion in a 12-year cycle.

Infantino, according to Reuters, said an unidentified group of investors had proposed spending $25billion to secure the rights to the tournament, which would take place every October and/or November of every odd year starting from 2021.

Gianni Infantino
Image: FIFA president Gianni Infantino

The Confederations Cup, currently staged every four years in a year before the World Cup, would be abolished.

The letter did not clearly indicate how many slots would be allocated to each region.

The plans were sent by Infantino to the members of FIFA's decision-making Council which still has to approve them.

UEFA and its counterpart for North and Central America and the Caribbean, CONCACAF, have already set up Nations League contests in their own continents.

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In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in their respective regions who are divided into divisions based on their rankings.

There is promotion and relegation between the divisions, as in conventional domestic club leagues. UEFA's inaugural competition will begin in September this year.

Other continents would have to set up similar competitions for the tournament to be viable.

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