Given that the FIFA World Cup only occurs once every four years, it is always a memorable occasion.
Football fans had to wait even longer in 2022 because Qatar’s decision to host the World Cup had moved the tournament’s regular start date from June to November.
Teams were under pressure to deliver on the big stage and please their nation’s fans after a long break between tournaments.
Why are World Cup matches held every four years?
There are several reasons for it, even though a four-year gap between World Cups could be better for keen football fans.
The event has been conducted every four years since 1930, except for a 12-year interruption caused by the Second World War from 1938 to 1950. This is why:
Logistics
One of the world’s largest sporting events, the FIFA World Cup requires extensive preparation.
It is common for host nations to need to construct adequate infrastructure to host the competition, which takes several years to plan. Over several years, seven of Qatar’s eight stadiums were completely rebuilt for the 2022 World Cup.
In addition, because the European Championships and Copa America are contested in summers other than the World Cup, the four-year gap between events ensures reduced fixture congestion.
Having a World Cup every four years prevents players from being overworked because they can juggle only a few matches while still fulfilling their club obligations.
Qualifying
A
In 2022, only 32 countries could be eligible to participate in the World Cup final
, Therefore, the qualification process took some time to complete, with over 150 teams failing to advance.
The four-year gap between competitions ensures ample time for such games because qualifications are contested only during FIFA international windows.
The existing qualifying system would need to be drastically changed if World Cups were held every two years, and it would probably result in an imbalance in the number of nations who qualify.
Olympics
The Olympic Games are held once every four years, just like the World Cup, and they share a unique heritage.
Football was initially played at the Olympics in 1900, and after becoming very successful in the 1920s, FIFA decided to launch its competition, the World Cup.
FIFA believed the moment was appropriate to launch a global professional competition because the sport was then only allowed for amateurs at the Olympic Games.
The World Cup was first held in the middle of two Games in 1930 to avoid conflict with the Olympics; this tradition has persisted to this day.
In 1932, FIFA decided to temporarily remove football from the Olympic Games to bring attention to the debut of the World Cup.
FIFA also includes the time needed to build the infrastructure for a world cup.
FIFA also considers how long the host country will take to get all of its infrastructure ready for a World Cup. After earning the privilege to host the 2022 edition back in 2010, Qatar had 12 years to prepare. The small Gulf state put a lot of effort into the interim years.
According to an ESPN article, Qatar spent $36 billion (£31 billion) to create a metro system. To accommodate the anticipated 1.3 million people, seven new stadiums have also been built, along with a five-lane highway. According to government statistics, as of September 2022, Qatar had 2.9 million residents.
The World Cup may be held every two years.
Despite how much sense it makes to hold the World Cup every four years, FIFA has proposed moving the event up to every two years.
Gianni Infantino, the current president of FIFA, favors the plan, which FIFA estimates will increase to $4.4 billion in revenue.
Although most member countries supported the concept, UEFA came out firmly against it. In March 2022, UEFA head AleksanderCeferin suggested FIFA had temporarily shelved the proposal.
“Everybody in football is opposed to the World Cup occurring every two years. I’m delighted FIFA has also realized that “stated Ceferin.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico will all serve as the tournament’s hosts when the next World Cup is set to take place in 2026.
