Fifa presidential candidate, Luis
Figo, will consider a bigger World
Cup, sin-bins and offside law
changes, if elected in May.
The Ex-Portugal international
proposes expanding the world
showpiece possibly to 40 or 48
teams, while also suggesting Fifa
could stage two 24-team
tournaments simultaneously on two
continents followed by a knockout
phase in one nation.
The 2001 Fifa Player of the Year was
speaking at the launch of his
presidential campaign manifesto on
Thursday at Wembley Stadium. He is
seeking to unseat Sepp Blatter, who
is vying for a fifth four-year term
tenure. Fifa vice-president Prince Ali
bin al-Hussein and Dutch football
association chief, Michael van Praag,
are also candidates.
Figo Launched His Campaign
Manifesto at Wembley Stadium on
Thursday.
The 48-year-old also plans to spread
half of Fifa’s $2.25bn revenue over
four years to associations to fund
grassroots football. He said $1bn of
Fifa’s $1.5bn wealth reserves should
be redistributed to the 209 affiliate
national federation.
Figo’s economic plans could appeal
to smaller nations in Fifa, which are
part of the 209 members eligible to
vote in the May 29 congress in
Zurich.
”There are obstacles that will have to
be overcome,’’ he said through a
translator. ”This image we are aware
of this organization that leads
football is not the appropriate image.
I trust that most of (the national
associations) want change and are
ready for change, a democratic
change, a change so that we achieve
transparency and a change that goes
back to football itself.”
Incumbent, Blatter, has already won
the support of federations of Africa,
Asia, South America and Oceania.
The Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter
Milan winger yet retains hopes voters
will be convinced to back him to
repair the football ruling body, which
has faced several allegations of
corruption in recent times.
He also advocates for trials for “sin-
bins,” a rule- (also known as the
penalty box) in Rugby and ice
hockey- which makes player sits to
serve the time of a given punishment,
for an offense not severe enough to
merit outright expulsion from a
match.
He wants revision to the old offside
rule where a player is penalized
regardless of whether they are
directly involved in play.