European football governing body UEFA is reportedly planning a brand new mini-tournament in the United States according to reports.
The new tournament, which is set to feature the winner of the UEFA Champions League and three other teams, is the latest in the list of competitions that UEFA plans to use to promote European football.
According to L’Equipe, as it stands, UEFA has not decided yet. But the tournament, which is expected to generate much revenue for the body, will probably be held in the USA.
The report also says that the tournament will be held shortly before the Champions League begins and it would feature the previous winner along with three other leading clubs.
L’Equipe also claims that the idea was floated to broadcasters bidding on the to televise the Champions League from 2024 to 2027.
The mini-tournament would have two semi-finals and a final and proposals suggest it would take place in August.
With UEFA already managing six tournaments and players complaining of fixture congestion and fatigue, the proposal has drawn criticism from many quarters.
The UNFP, the Union of Professional Footballers in France, has already criticised UEFA’s proposal.
“The European body only wants to line its pockets with no regard for the health of the players, and with no regard for the spectacle of football,” UNFP said in a statement.
UEFA president Alexander Ceferin recently admitted that one option would be to adapt the current Super Cup game between the Champions League and Europa League winners, making it a four-team competition.
He said: “That is a possibility, for sure. Now, who will play exactly we cannot tell for sure yet.
“This is one of the ideas that we will do something more with that at the beginning of the season, or before the start of the season.”
