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ICYMI: Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion: Real Sociedad has revealed intentions to extend their Reale Arena, which would strengthen its position as one of the sites for the country's co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The Spanish Football Federation published a shortlist of 15 sites for World Cup matches in July 2022, which included Reale Arena. The 2030 World Cup will be staged in six nations over three continents, after FIFA declared in October that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the majority of games, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay hosting "celebratory" matches. With a minimum of 40,000 seats required to become a World Cup location, the Reale Arena, which has a current capacity of around 39,300, was under jeopardy. However, addressing at a general shareholders' meeting, club executives explained how they want to increase capacity to more than 41,000 seats. According to Real president Jokin Aperribay, the expansion ‘should be carried out without problems’. The club is claimed to have already met with San Sebastián City Council, the owner and operator of the facility, which opened in 1993, to seek authorisation to carry out the project. The club's board of directors has suggested a first extension of 1,700 seats, with the initiative also intended to solve a season ticket waiting list of more than 3,000 people. FIFA struck an agreement with football's regional leaders to allow only one applicant to host the 2030 event across six countries. The Spain-Portugal bid expanded to include Morocco, as well as long-time foes Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. FIFA president Gianni Infantino commented on the decision to award six different countries hosting the tournament. "In 2030 we will have a unique global footprint, three continents — Africa, Europe and South America — six countries — Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay — welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the FIFA World Cup," he stated via press release. The decision may be controversial as it has never been done before, however, it is a strategic decision by FIFA as it allows more fans to witness a World Cup match and continues to grow the game further in more parts of the globe. The 48-team, 104-game tournament scheduled for June-July 2030 is planned to start with games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay before the action moves to the core host nations Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The post Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

How to allocate slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup? My co-authored paper (with Juan Moreno-Ternero) on the allocation of slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup appears now as a lead article in the upcoming volume of Journal of Sports Economics. Our analysis shows that UEFA has a solid basis to claim for additional slots. #fifaworldcup #uefa #footballbusiness #soccer #fifa https://lnkd.in/deydUvBw

<!-->--> Saudi Arabia launched its formal bid campaign Friday to host the 2034 World Cup, in a race that basically became a formality last October when the oil-rich kingdom was the only candidate to enter the contest. The Saudi Arabian soccer federation revealed the bid slogan “Growing. Together” and a campaign logo of two multi-colored ribbons forming the number 34. The logo “is designed to capture the essence of Saudi Arabia’s young nation, vibrant society and rich heritage,” the federation said. FIFA is expected to rubber-stamp Saudi Arabia as host in an uncontested vote by the governing body’s 211 member federations before the end of 2024. A date and venue for the vote has not been announced. The bid launch gave no new details of host cities and stadiums for the 48-team tournament expected to be held in November-December 2034. Saudi Arabia currently aims to host the tournament alone, though some games could later be shared with neighboring and nearby states. The first 48-team men’s World Cup will be held in 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2030 edition will be played mostly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one game each given to Argentina, Paraguay and the inaugural 1930 host Uruguay. Those hosting plans must also be confirmed formally this year. By locking in Africa, Europe and South America together for 2030, FIFA was able to limit the 2034 hosting to bidders from Asia and Oceania — all but ensuring Saudi Arabia would win. Reporting by The Associated Press.   Get more from FIFA Men’s World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more Source link

Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion: Real Sociedad has revealed intentions to extend their Reale Arena, which would strengthen its position as one of the sites for the country's co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The Spanish Football Federation published a shortlist of 15 sites for World Cup matches in July 2022, which included Reale Arena. The 2030 World Cup will be staged in six nations over three continents, after FIFA declared in October that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the majority of games, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay hosting "celebratory" matches. With a minimum of 40,000 seats required to become a World Cup location, the Reale Arena, which has a current capacity of around 39,300, was under jeopardy. However, addressing at a general shareholders' meeting, club executives explained how they want to increase capacity to more than 41,000 seats. According to Real president Jokin Aperribay, the expansion ‘should be carried out without problems’. The club is claimed to have already met with San Sebastián City Council, the owner and operator of the facility, which opened in 1993, to seek authorisation to carry out the project. The club's board of directors has suggested a first extension of 1,700 seats, with the initiative also intended to solve a season ticket waiting list of more than 3,000 people. FIFA struck an agreement with football's regional leaders to allow only one applicant to host the 2030 event across six countries. The Spain-Portugal bid expanded to include Morocco, as well as long-time foes Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. FIFA president Gianni Infantino commented on the decision to award six different countries hosting the tournament. "In 2030 we will have a unique global footprint, three continents — Africa, Europe and South America — six countries — Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay — welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the FIFA World Cup," he stated via press release. The decision may be controversial as it has never been done before, however, it is a strategic decision by FIFA as it allows more fans to witness a World Cup match and continues to grow the game further in more parts of the globe. The 48-team, 104-game tournament scheduled for June-July 2030 is planned to start with games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay before the action moves to the core host nations Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The post Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

MUST READ: Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion: Real Sociedad has revealed intentions to extend their Reale Arena, which would strengthen its position as one of the sites for the country's co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The Spanish Football Federation published a shortlist of 15 sites for World Cup matches in July 2022, which included Reale Arena. The 2030 World Cup will be staged in six nations over three continents, after FIFA declared in October that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the majority of games, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay hosting "celebratory" matches. With a minimum of 40,000 seats required to become a World Cup location, the Reale Arena, which has a current capacity of around 39,300, was under jeopardy. However, addressing at a general shareholders' meeting, club executives explained how they want to increase capacity to more than 41,000 seats. According to Real president Jokin Aperribay, the expansion ‘should be carried out without problems’. The club is claimed to have already met with San Sebastián City Council, the owner and operator of the facility, which opened in 1993, to seek authorisation to carry out the project. The club's board of directors has suggested a first extension of 1,700 seats, with the initiative also intended to solve a season ticket waiting list of more than 3,000 people. FIFA struck an agreement with football's regional leaders to allow only one applicant to host the 2030 event across six countries. The Spain-Portugal bid expanded to include Morocco, as well as long-time foes Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. FIFA president Gianni Infantino commented on the decision to award six different countries hosting the tournament. "In 2030 we will have a unique global footprint, three continents — Africa, Europe and South America — six countries — Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay — welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the FIFA World Cup," he stated via press release. The decision may be controversial as it has never been done before, however, it is a strategic decision by FIFA as it allows more fans to witness a World Cup match and continues to grow the game further in more parts of the globe. The 48-team, 104-game tournament scheduled for June-July 2030 is planned to start with games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay before the action moves to the core host nations Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The post Real Sociedad plan stadium expansion appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

Women’s World Cup Attendance Is Outperforming FIFA’s Expectations The 2023 Women’s World Cup hasn’t even progressed through group play, but FIFA is already projecting higher attendance numbers than expected for the tournament. Ticket sales are now close to 1.6 million, according to soccer’s governing body, which would easily surpass the record 1.35 million fans who attended the 2015 WWC in Canada. FIFA had been expecting to break that record, but its latest projections were around 1.5 million. The USWNT has enjoyed packed houses for its first two games in New Zealand and now returns to Auckland for a potential must-win game against Portugal to secure first place in Group E over the Netherlands. https://lnkd.in/efxkE5f9 Check out our website to see how we can help your business - https://global-13.com          #Global13

Disappointing or Inspiring: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and the USWNT? by Nora Maguire White (part 2 of 2) Let’s choose to highlight an Australian side that trounced Canada to advance without goal scoring powerhouse Sam Kerr, and Nigeria’s Super Falcons who stunned the home crowd in a fabulous 3-2 victory over Australia, also moving forward to advance to the Round of 16. And a Japan side, putting on a goal scoring precision clinic winning their group with 9 points. How about we choose to highlight the astounding economic impact that women’s football is having at this World Cup and in the past few years; over 1.5 million in ticket sales over the last six days, over 117,000 fans who packed the stadiums on opening day1, with record television viewership for the group stage2. If there is to be criticism, it should not be about what is happening now, but what has been happening with the USWNT for well over the last four years- a clear lack of tactical development and sophistication. And does this really begin with the USWNT, or could we wind it back to our lack of sophistication and commitment to playing total football in the collegiate game, in our youth game? Can we consider putting some responsibility on  our country that emphasizes a win at all costs mentality in many of our early youth environments? If we are to criticize our current USWNT, let us at least be honest enough with ourselves to ask the right questions, and even moreso, to challenge ourselves to come up with the right solutions. What are or aren’t we doing, to properly develop our youth (part 2 of 2)? https://lnkd.in/gK98sZra https://lnkd.in/gEWAE-Pj

💸 3.317 billion euros: this is how UEFA distributes its money 👇 👇 Participating clubs: (93.5%) UEFA (6.5%). Of the total amount available for distribution to participating clubs: 💰 2.467 billion euros (74.38%) will be distributed to clubs participating in the 1️⃣ UEFA Champions League (and the UEFA Super Cup). 2️⃣ 565 million euros (17.02%) will be distributed to clubs participating in the UEFA Europa League. 3️⃣ 285 million euros (8.60%) will be distributed to clubs participating in the UEFA Conference League. The above sums will be further distributed through three different pillars: Champions League: Participation Bonus – 678.4 million euros Performance Bonus – 925.1 million euros "Value" Bonus (historical/decennial ranking plus market pool) – 863.5 million euros Do you think this distribution is fair? Real Madrid C.F. FC Barcelona Juventus Football Club FC Internazionale Milano FC Bayern München Club Atlético de Madrid

Today's decisions by the FIFA Council have generated more concerns than excitement. While the idea of uniting three continents and six countries is ambitious, it prompts us to reflect on the practicality of such logistics. It raises the question of whether the FIFAGATE case has evolved into a new version. Traveling from Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to Europe and Africa raises serious questions about the strain on players and fans. The distances involved are substantial and can impact performance and enjoyment. We must ensure that the essence of the game is not lost in transit. Furthermore, let's address the main issue at hand. The rhetoric of inclusivity is commendable, but it is essential to recognize that the expansion of teams is not solely for inclusion. It is also a financial maneuver. Much like the push for more teams, this decision is driven by the desire for increased revenue, not just representation. The centennial celebration should have been a tribute to its origins. Uruguay and Argentina, the pioneers, deserved the honor. Instead, we find ourselves crossing continents in pursuit of an "inclusive vision". In the spirit of constructive dialogue, let's ensure that the FIFA World Cup continues to be a celebration of the game we love, while being mindful of its impact on all stakeholders. #FIFAWorldCup2030 #SoccerThoughts ⚽🌍