Fifa is planning to team up with Saudi Arabian, Chinese and American investors in a US$25 billion (Dh44 billion), 12-year deal that could add two major international tournaments to an already crowded football calendar.
With preparations for this year's World Cup in Russia reaching a climax, Fifa president Gianni Infantino is looking to launch an expanded 24-team Club World Cup — played every four years starting in 2021 — and a separate global competition for national teams every two years.
Fifa would have a 51 per cent stake in the joint venture with the investors underwriting guaranteed revenues of at least $25 billion, people with knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press.
The Club World Cup is currently a seven-team event played each December. The winner of Europe's Champions League joins the five other continental club champions and the host nation's league champions. Fifa's financial report says the 2017 edition in Abu Dhabi, won by Spanish club Real Madrid, earned $37 million.
A revamped Club World Cup would kill off the Confederations Cup, the warm-up tournament for the following year's World Cup host nation.
The second innovation, known as the Nations League, would replace the Confederations Cup as Fifa's second-tier competition in a format yet to be decided.
The new competitions could secure long-term revenue for many of the 211 Fifa member federations who rely on its financial support. It also would provide a strong platform for Infantino to run for re-election next year.
Still, the project is far from certain to succeed and is likely to face a hostile reception in Europe, which hosts the world's biggest players and most popular club competitions.
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Fifa has put pressure on football's continental governing bodies for a quick decision.
Infantino said at a Fifa Council meeting in Colombia last month that the offer from investors he declined to identify — citing a nondisclosure agreement — was open for only 60 days. The deadline expires in mid-May, and meeting it would need Fifa to lead an intense round of consultation.
Uefa, European football's governing body, said Tuesday the Fifa president had "mentioned an alleged offer to buy some rights" in Bogota, apparently confirming a report in the New York Times that the consortium wanted control of the Club World Cup and Nations League.
"As Gianni Infantino did not provide any concrete details on what such an offer would entail and which entity would have been behind it, we have no comment to make on the topic," Uefa said in a statement.
Uefa already organises the hugelyy popular Champions League and any rival club competition could be a threat to its broadcast sales worldwide. The Fifa proposal also uses the Global Nations League format which Uefa developed and revealed last October.
Wealthy and influential groups of European clubs and leagues have both resisted Fifa's ambition in recent weeks.
"It is not about adding competition in this moment," Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said two weeks ago at a meeting of the 230-member European Club Association which he leads.
Fifa proposes an expanded 24-team club tournament, with at least 12 from Europe, starting in June or July 2021. The format of eight three-team groups, advancing to an eight-team knockout round, would see teams play a maximum of five games.
Fifa's partnership with investors would guarantee $12 billion in revenue from the Club World Cup — $3 billion for each of four editions from 2021-33, people who had been briefed on the project told the AP. They said Fifa would decide where the tournament would be played, which would not necessarily be in China or Saudi Arabia.
Fifa is likely to explore broadcasting deals with video streaming services and could bypass traditional television networks which hold World Cup rights.
Revenue of $2 billion is projected for each of six editions from 2023-33, and $1 billion for a first competition in 2021 when Uefa is committed to the second edition of its own version.
Fifa is looking to win over clubs seeking to protect players from a packed international calendar, insisting the 2021-33 plan involves fewer games: A Club World Cup every four years instead of annually, ending the Confederations Cup, and a Nations League played on existing dates set aside for tournament qualifiers and friendlies.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Continental champions
Best Asian Player: Massaki Todokoro (Japan)
Best European Player: Adam Wardzinski (Poland)
Best North & Central American Player: DJ Jackson (United States)
Best African Player: Walter Dos Santos (Angola)
Best Oceanian Player: Lee Ting (Australia)
Best South American Player: Gabriel De Sousa (Brazil)
Best Asian Federation: Saudi Jiu-Jitsu Federation
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Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
