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There is too much football in the world, FIFA says

FIFA president Sepp Blatter speaks to journalists during a press conference in Zurich, Switzerland, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

World governing body FIFA insisted on Wednesday that the number of matches played throughout the world needs to be cut.

"There is too much football, the players are tired," admitted FIFA president Sepp Blatter who has ordered a number of working parties to be formed to examine, amongst other things, the international calendar as well as the standard of officiating at matches.

"Refereeing is neither coherent nor consistent. The interpretation of the game isn't in harmony," Blatter insisted.

Decisions taken by the various working groups will be discussed by the next meeting of the FIFA executive committee on Dec. 18 this year.

Blatter said he was concerned that the co-ordinated international calendar, in place since 2002, was not being applied correctly.

"We want fewer matches," Blatter said. "We can't tell a federation how they should organize their competitions but we can suggest, even impose, the maximum number of games a club should dispute each season."

Other matters to be examined in December are the introduction of a co-ordinated international match calendar and FIFA competitions to ensure adequate rest days (at least eight) and training days (at least 17) for international players before the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The UEFA Cup final in 2006 will be brought forward from May 17 to May 10 with the Champions League final being held on May 17 and not May 24.

A panel will also look at ways of improving the list of international referees as well as the age limit (currently 45).

It was also recommended by Wednesday's meeting of the Strategic Studies Committee that after 2007, the Women's World Cup will be staged in even years every four years as from 2010 to allow a space of two years between the Olympics and the World Cup.
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