Matches can be generated or viewed instantly with a 2D isometric engine that resembles the 16-bit FIFA games. The different types of stands also allow to build more concessions (stores inside the stadium). The total number of seats is defined by the initial size of the club, and some can build stadiums with more than 400'000 seats. More than 300 individual parts, from stands to roofs, can be used to build different stadiums. With it, it is possible to customize the stadium block by block, instead of the usual grandstand by grandstand. One of the key features is the stadium builder. It is also possible to set the order of the teams, the style of play and change the coverage of each position. Although the game lacks predefined tactics, each player can be assigned to a position freely. Managers can improve their team by training it or simply acquiring new talents for the lineup. The database, consisting of more than 7500 players, also includes some European teams, and all three European competitions are present. The calendar realistically follows the development of the competitions, so expect a winter break in Germany, a September league kick-off in Italy and many double-header weeks in France. It features twelve leagues in five different countries (England with four divisions and Germany, Italy, France and Scotland with two). Infantino would not commit to any timescales to put any element of the calendar proposals to a vote, with the next scheduled FIFA Congress due to take place in Doha on 31 March next year.FIFA Soccer Manager is EA's first foray into the soccer manager market. OpenEconomics estimated the new calendar would have macroeconomic benefits of 180bn US dollars over 16 years, an increase of 80bn dollars compared to retaining the status quo. It concludes that on average each member association would benefit to the tune of an extra 16 million US dollars every four years from the solidarity fund, with FIFA Forward funding also set to go up from six to nine million US dollars every four years. The increased revenue would be made up of gate receipts, media rights and sponsorship.īased on those figures, FIFA told delegates that 3.5bn US dollars of the extra revenue generated in the first cycle of the new calendar would be put into a member association solidarity fund. Nielsen predicted that playing two World Cups in a four-year period would lift revenues from 7bn US dollars to 11.4bn US dollars. Infantino believes the studies from Nielsen and OpenEconomics presented to the national associations on Monday demonstrate that "not only is (a World Cup every two years) feasible from a sporting point of view, the economic return is obviously very strong". "We continue the dialogue, we continue the analysis, we hope that we can make progress one way or the other, or some middle way."įIFA was mandated to conduct a feasibility study into biennial men’s and women’s World Cups by Congress in May, following a proposal pitched by the Saudi Arabian federation. We are looking at how we can make football better and we’re looking at how many we can bring on board with a new way of organising football in the future. "But we are looking at the entire calendar. "If I was going to a (Congress) vote tomorrow probably the majority would vote in favour of World Cups every two years," he said. However, Infantino is already confident there is support for increasing the frequency of World Cups if that single issue was put to a vote of all the national associations. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has previously said European countries could boycott the World Cup if it was staged every two years, and the confederation is already planning for Euros in 20 which would clash with World Cups under FIFA’s proposals. Infantino continues to hope a consensus can be reached on all the components of a new calendar, which seems optimistic given the fierce opposition to the plans in Europe and South America.
Infantino and FIFA's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger hope the new calendar from 2024 will create more meaningful national team football globally and bridge the financial gap between Europe and the rest of the world. The hugely controversial proposal is part of wider reform of the international calendar put forward by FIFA.
The leaders of 207 national federations were told on Monday that switching to World Cups every two years would increase revenues by 4.4 billion US dollars (€3.9bn) across a four-year cycle. FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes a majority of countries would be in favour of biennial World Cups if he called a snap vote.