Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-02-19 14:20:33
FIFPRO has released a report stating that the current Asian Champions League is “unsustainable” and accusing the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of failing to consider the opinions of players and clubs. The competition has come under increased scrutiny due to the significant investments made by Saudi teams in high-profile players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema. The round of 16 of the Champions League began just three days after the final of the Asian Cup, which was hosted and won by Qatar.
Spanning a large geographical area from Australia to the Middle East and Central Asia, the current Champions League is divided into two zones, “West” and “East,” until a two-legged final home and away. The AFC has announced plans to further divide the tournament geographically at the start of the next campaign, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final to be held in Saudi Arabia. FIFPRO has criticized this remodelled version, which will see the winning team receive an increased prize of $12 million, as also unsustainable.
Takuya Yamazaki, FIFPRO’s chairman for Oceania-Asia, hopes that the report will initiate meaningful discussions with governing bodies, leagues, clubs, and fans about the Champions League. He stated, “The results indicate that, as anticipated, the merits do not outweigh the drawbacks for most players and clubs, making it an unsustainable system.” FIFPRO has accused the AFC of adopting a “top-down approach that excludes the voices of players and clubs from decision-making” and has called on the AFC to establish a genuine partnership with players, clubs, and leagues to ensure that the competition delivers for all parties.
The 49-page report made several conclusions, including that the average quality of teams in the Champions League was inferior to the top domestic divisions in Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. It also noted a decline in the average quality of the competition. FIFPRO also expressed concern about the economic cost for teams due to the long travel involved and the impact of travel and match scheduling on the workload of players.
AFP has reached out to the Kuala Lumpur-based AFC for comment on the matter. It is hoped that FIFPRO’s report will lead to constructive discussions and reforms in the AFC’s approach to the Asian Champions League, ensuring that it is sustainable and beneficial for players, clubs, and all involved parties.
