FIFA’s Committees for Women’s Football and the Women’s World Cup are proposing to the Executive Committee that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup should take place in 2017.

Executive Committee member Moya Dodd convened a meeting of the FIFA Task Force for Women’s Football in Zurich on Monday, when the date of 2017 was proposed for the Women’s Club World Cup. 

The Task Force noted that the competition is important “to create an annual showcase of elite women’s football and to provide an incentive not only to clubs, but also to confederations and member associations, to strengthen club football and club structures in their respective regions.”

This proposal is being examined by the Committees for Women’s Football and the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday, before a proposal is to be sent to the Executive Committee.

The FIFA Executive Committee, which decides on the introduction of all new competitions, holds its next meeting on 19-20 March.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced the creation of the Task Force in October 2013 in order to identify and establish priorities for the development of women’s football.

As well as the Women’s Club World Cup, the Task Force also discussed how to implement the ten key development principles for women’s football, which were first discussed at the group’s first meeting a year ago and approved at the 64th FIFA Congress in São Paulo.

“The approval of the ten key principles by the FIFA Congress last June marked a major milestone for the development of women’s football,” said Moya Dodd.

“These principles have laid a foundation from which to build on, sending a clear message to confederations and member associations on what FIFA expects of them to continue growing the women’s game. 

“FIFA is also taking concrete action, for instance the doubling of women’s development funding for the 2015-2018 cycle, and now further progress is being made towards the creation of a FIFA Women’s Club World Cup. All of our efforts need to go in one direction in order to see more women on the football pitch but also involved off the pitch as well.”

Other topics discussed at the Task Force meeting included Futsal, the professionalisation of the women’s game, club licensing, medical issues and strategies to increase female 

Just as a FIFA taskforce met in Zurich on Monday to review options for the timings of the 2022 World Cup, it emerged that Emirates airline would not be renewing its sponsorship contract with football’s international governing body. 

“This decision was made following an evaluation of FIFA’s contract proposal which did not meet Emirates’ expectations,” Emirates said in a statement on Monday.

A FIFA spokesperson said Emirates had informed them two years ago that Brazil 2014 would be the last World Cup it would sponsor, as the airline was changing its strategy to focus on more frequent smaller events around the world instead of a mega-event every four years. 

Qatar Airlines is said to be waiting in the wings to take over the role of official carrier for FIFA. Sony are also reported to be putting an end to their sponsorship, with Olympic TOP sponsors Samsung being mentioned as likely contenders to occupy this space.

Emirates chose to make the news public at a time when FIFA is tackling the tricky issue of how to host the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 without risking the health of players and fans, while also minimising disruption to national league fixtures. 

“We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the FIFA World Cup to two options – January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 – but FIFA has also been asked to consider May 2022,” said FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke. 

Hosting the World Cup in January/February would almost certainly result in the event clashing with the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, for which Almaty and Beijing are currently candidate cities. 

The May option was put forward by the European Club Association, who have proposed that the tournament could take place from April 28 to May 29 without disrupting domestic fixtures.

However, FIFA’s chief medical officer Professor Jiří Dvořák highlighted medical concerns relating to player safety and fan safety if the FIFA World Cup were to be held between May and September. Valcke also pointed out that the month-long period of Ramadan would begin on 2 April in 2022, which would impact on preparations for the tournament.

Hassan Al Thawadi, CEO of the local organising committee said the preferred scenario was for the World Cup to be held in the winter, while affirming that it remained fully committed to delivering what was promised in its bid and organising the best possible event whatever is decided.

The taskforce is due to hold its next meeting in early 2015 after further consultation. 

“The objective of today’s meeting was to receive feedback from all parties and to work on narrowing the options,” said Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

In a dramatic U-turn, the members of FIFA’s executive committee have voted unanimously in favour of making public its report into alleged corruption surrounding the bidding process for the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups.

The full report was written by US lawyer Michael Garcia, but only a controversial summary by his counterpart on the Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, has yet been published.  

Garcia dismissed Eckert’s summary as “erroneous and incomplete” and resigned from the Ethics Committee on Wednesday after his appeal was dismissed.

While many contributors to the report have spoken out in favour of publishing it in full, all were promised confidentially and the published report will be redacted for legal reasons – and it will not be published until the conclusion of ongoing investigations into five people connected to the affair.

FIFA vice president Jim Boyce of Great Britain is one of the executives who has spoken in favour of publishing the report, saying “If people have nothing to hide, why are they afraid of something being issued?"

HRH Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan has announced that he will stand for the presidency of FIFA, in a bid that could bring Sepp Blatter’s 17 year reign to an end.

“This was not an easy decision,” Prince Ali said in a statement. 

“It came after careful consideration and many discussions with respected FIFA colleagues over the last few months.”

His decision comes soon after the culmination of FIFA’s investigations into allegations of corruption in its bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which failed to identify any culpable wrongdoing and led to the resignation of Michael Garcia, the lawyer hired by FIFA to investigate the allegations. 

Prince Ali has pledged to run a positive campaign and to steer FIFA away from the controversies of recent years.  “The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change. 

“It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport.”

Prince Ali became vice president of FIFA in 2011. He is also president of the Jordan Football Association and the West Asia Football Federation, which he founded in 2001. 

If elected, Prince Ali would be the first FIFA president from the Asia region and only the second from outside Europe, after Brazil’s Joao Havelange.

At just 39 years old, Prince Ali is a contrasting candidate to FIFA’s 79 year old candidate Sepp Blatter, who announced in September 2014 that he would run for a fifth term. 

At Soccerex Global Convention in September, Prince Ali spoke out in favour of time limits for presidential terms 

Blatter is a formidable opponent who has weathered many a storm without any apparent loss to his power or personal reputation. 

The only other candidate in the race is Jerome Champagne of France, who also announced he would stand in September 2014. 

The deadline for presidential candidates to come forward is the 29th January. All candidates must be nominated by five FIFA members, of which there are 209. 

The election takes place by secret ballot on May 29th.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has kicked off his bid for the FIFA presidency by telling media that the organisation must become more transparent.

In his first interview since announcing his candidacy, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein also announced plans to begin a ten year programme of reform, while stating he would not necessarily want to hold the position of president “long term”.

Speaking to the BBC, Prince Ali pointed to weaknesses within the current framework without directly attacking the other candidates Sepp Blatter and Jerome Champagne, in line with his promise to run a positive campaign. 

"Fifa as an organisation tends to be a bit secretive, but we should be confident and happy to be open and engaged with everyone,” Prince Ali said on Saturday. 

Prince Ali was a key figure in the push for FIFA to publish its report into alleged corruption. 

"I was the first to ask for the Garcia report to come out. We should have nothing to hide.

"I don't see a reason to be guarded. We have to bring the administration of sport into the current time we live in. I want to bring back that confidence.

"I believe we should be totally transparent.”

The move to making FIFA more transparent is part of a wider campaign to transform FIFA. 

"Reform is crucial,” he said.

This emphasis on reform has echoes of the recently approved Agenda 2020 programme at the IOC, of which Prince Ali’s older brother Prince Feisal is a member.

"I will look to a 10-year programme for the organisation where everyone is a part of it, and ourselves as the executive committee will implement it.”

In contrast to the lengthy terms served by current president Sepp Blatter and his predecessor Joao Havelange, Prince Ali told the BBC the role is "not something I want to do long term,” adding "A lot of things can happen and I'm confident we can [reform] in quick time."

He plans to build his manifesto through discussions with FIFA members. 

"In the coming months, I will be looking to sit down and talk to all our member associations and listen to them.

"I'm not coming in to dictate. I have my ideas and progress I want to implement, but I have to hear back from my colleagues.” 

Prince Ali’s campaign has been undermined by the assertion on Friday by Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation that all 46 AFC member associations will vote for Blatter.

His ability to run FIFA has also been called into question by his competitor Jerome Champagne, who told the BBC “Last year he lost the election in Asia, so if you don't have a base in your own region and own continent, how can you be expected to be elected at the world level?"

FIFA’s longstanding president Sepp Blatter on Friday welcomed Prince Ali entering the election race, telling Swiss newspaper Le Matin: "I can only rejoice in this nomination. We are a democracy, and this can only be beneficial for debate.

"And do not they say that win without peril is to triumph without glory?"

The president will be elected on 29th May at the FIFA Congress. 

According to the FIFA website, “In the spirit of true democracy, each national association has one vote, regardless of its size or footballing strength.”

The news that HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan is to run for the FIFA presidency in May is a major boost to the importance of the Soccerex Asian Forum, the organisers have said.

The Soccerex Asian Forum takes place on April 14th-15th at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre on the Dead Sea, Jordan.

“The FIFA presidency elections will generate worldwide interest and the Asian Forum represents a final opportunity for senior industry figures from Asia and afar to come together ahead of the elections to engage and discuss the development of the game,” Soccerex said in a press release.

The FIFA vice president for Asia and president of the Jordan Football Association will open the event in his home nation, just weeks before the FIFA presidential elections take place.

“We are hugely honoured and privileged to be working again with His Royal Highness, Prince Ali at our 2015 Asian Forum,” said Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie.

“He is so passionate about the game and his visionary work with the Asian Football Development Project has had significant impact on football and the opportunities it provides throughout Asia. 

“We are proud to be working alongside him, the AFDP and the Jordan Football Association and hope that in some small way the Asian Forum will help contribute towards his efforts to develop football across the continent.”

Prince Ali is the third candidate to step forward for the FIFA presidency, after incumbent Sepp Blatter and former FIFA Executive Jerome Champagne announced their intentions to stand in September. 

He has pledged to transform FIFA into "an International Federation that is a service organization and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance."

Soccerex said: "2014 saw FIFA President Sepp Blatter, CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb, FIFA Vice-President Jim Boyce and Vice-President of the Asian Football Confederation Moya Dodd address delegates at Soccerex events around the world and Prince Ali’s involvement at the opening ceremony of the Asian Forum ensures that 2015 will pick up where 2014 left off.”

For more information about Soccerex Asian Forum please visit http://www.soccerex.com/events/asia/ call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 // email:enquiry@soccerex.com

Jerome Champagne has publicly attacked speculation that the emergence of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein as a third candidate for the presidency of FIFA has cast him as the outsider. 

Asked by UK national sports channel BBC Radio 5 Live if he would withdraw in the light of Prince Ali stepping forwards as a candidate, Champagne said "Of course not, I'm the only candidate to present a detailed programme."

Throwing down the gauntlet to Prince Ali, Champagne said "We need to know what is his programme, beyond thundering slogans without any concrete explanations.

"I've been a candidate for a year now, I've a concrete platform, I've exposed everything, it's a question for him: Why is he running? Who has pushed him? What is his ambition?”

Champagne’s reference to being “pushed” could be a reference to Prince Ali’s remark that his decision to stand was the result of discussions with “respected FIFA colleagues”.

Prince Ali only announced his intention on Monday, with a statement that his campaign would be positive, based around steering FIFA away from the administrative controversies that have dogged it for recent years. 

The interview demonstrated that Champagne clearly does not plan to run a positive campaign. 

“Last year he lost the election in Asia, so if you don't have a base in your own region and own continent how can you be expected to be elected at the world level?"

It remains to be seen whether such antagonistic remarks will prompt Ali to adopt a more negative stance and directly address the causes of the controversy of which he speaks – a tactic that could well be divisive within FIFA’s membership, where support for the incumbent president Sepp Blatter is said to remain strong. 

HOST CITY asked for a comment on the leadership race from a FIFA spokesperson, who stated that they would welcome applications from nominated candidates until the 29th January. 

Champagne, recognising that this is a public media campaign as much as internal FIFA election, has also spoken to Sky, saying "We want a fair democratic debate so we need more than one candidate and I hope more candidates will surface.

"I have always been an advocate of a pyramid in football that should be based on democratic principles with more than one candidate."

President Sepp Blatter has also welcomed the fact that other candidates are joining the bid for presidency, saying that it is in line with FIFA's spirit of democracy and discussion.

In an interview with Swiss newspaper Le Matin, Blatter said of Prince Ali stepping forward: "I can only rejoice in this nomination. We are a democracy, and this can only be beneficial for debate.

"And do not they say that win without peril is to triumph without glory?"

The influential ExCo member Moya Dodd, told HOST CITY that FIFA needs to make its host city election process more transparent by removing the secrecy around voting.

And in the wake of Sepp Blatter’s confirmation that he will stand for a fifth term as FIFA president, more executive committee members have publicly backed suggestions that limits should be imposed on terms of office. 

Asked by HOST CITY at Soccerex Global Convention whether increasing the number of people with the right to vote would improve perceptions of FIFA, Dodd said “The more important measure would be to make voting open. 

“If people are answerable for how they voted, it’s visible, it’s clear who they supported, then there’s no suggestion that there are multiple promises for a single vote. I think it would do a lot to rid the process of those sort of suspicions, if it was open voting.”

FIFA’s 27 executive committee members currently have the right to vote on the issues that govern world football. Just 22 people were eligible to cast votes for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, as compared to the 94 IOC members that elected the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games. 

Another concern is that football’s world leaders are able to govern for an indefinite length of time. On Monday, FIFA’s 78-year old president Sepp Blatter confirmed in a video presentation to Soccerex Global Convention that he would stand for a historic fifth term. 

On the same day, FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein told the press that he supports time limits on terms of office – while stressing that Blatter has every right to stand again under the current rules. 

“The process of reform within FIFA needs to continue and eventually we should look at instigating term limits and maybe not just for the FIFA president but also for executive committee members as well, including myself,” Prince Ali said.

Speaking at Soccerex on Tuesday, Moya Dodd, who is vice president of the Asian Football Confederation as well as a FIFA ExCo member, said “In Asia we have a limit on age and terms. I think term limits are healthy. Age limits are discriminatory and not the best way to ensure turnover anyway.”

Jim Boyce, who at 70 is eight years younger than Sepp Blatter, said “I am in favour of an age limit and a time limit. I honestly feel that if someone has three terms – that’s 12 years – or an age of 75, then they have made a good contribution and it’s time for someone else to contribute.”

As well as the issues of age and tenure, FIFA is tackling a gender imbalance – a drive that began with Dodd’s appointment last year.

“It’s inevitable that more women become involved in the game and will be a strong part of the management of sporting enterprises,” said Dodd. 

Uefa president Michel Platini has decided not to stand against Sepp Blatter and it is not clear who might challenge Sepp Blatter to the presidency. Michele D’Hooghe, FIFA ExCo Member, told delegates at Soccerex “Michel Platini gave a very positive message to the last meeting of the presidential general secretaries of FIFA in Monaco at end of August. He didn’t say ‘I don’t go for FIFA’; he said ‘I choose for UEFA’."

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A group of 40 female footballers, including some of the biggest names in the women’s game such as the US’s Abby Wambach, Germany’s Nadine Angerer and Brazil’s Fabiana Da Silva Simoes, will file a lawsuit against Fifa and the Canadian Soccer Association on the decision to stage the tournament on the surface.

The players have claimed that the decision to force the teams to play on artificial turf is discriminatory as the men’s World Cup has always been played on grass. The complainants have also suggested that artificial turf can increase the risk of injuries and, on a basic playing level, can alter the traditional bounce and trajectory of the football.

Hampton Dellinger, the US law firm representing the group of players, set a deadline of September 26 for Fifa to open a dialogue with the complainants on the issue, but the governing body appears to be determined to press ahead with its plans.

“We play on artificial turf and there's no Plan B,” Tatjana Haenni, Fifa’s deputy director of the competitions division and head of women's competitions, told the Associated Press news agency.

“(There are) no plans to change that decision. I can't answer if that is fair but that is the way it is going to be. It is according to the competition regulations. It is according to laws of the game so all matches will be on artificial turf.”

Haenni is part of a Fifa delegation on a tour of the host cities of Ottawa, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Moncton.

Hampton Dellinger said earlier this week: “A lawsuit is a last resort but one that unfortunately appears necessary and will be initiated in coming days. As the already drafted legal papers demonstrate, the players and their attorneys are prepared to put before a judge what we believe is a clear - and very unfortunate - case of gender discrimination.

“The discriminatory proposal of Fifa and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) to stage the 2015 Women’s World Cup on artificial turf, coupled with their refusal to discuss ways to fix the mistake, have left the players with no choice. It is now time to ask the courts to stop Fifa and CSA from forcing elite athletes to compete under game-changing, dangerous and demeaning conditions. World-class games cannot take place on second-class surfaces.”

Speaking at last month’s Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, Fifa Executive Committee members acknowledged that the governing body must become more communicative, to help improve its reputation.

Canada will host an expanded Women’s World Cup next year, with the number of teams growing from 16 to 24, increasing the number of matches from 32 to 52.

Speaking at Securing Sport 2014 in London on Tuesday, Franz Beckenbauer told a select group of the press including HOST CITY that FIFA should make the findings of its investigations into alleged corruption public.

Beckenbauer was on the FIFA Executive Committee during the controversial bidding procedure for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Asked to reveal who he voted for, he said he had to respect the rules of the secret ballot. He also categorically stated that he did not accept, or receive any offers of, lavish gifts in attempts to influence votes. 

But he did say “I was surprised that Qatar won. It was a good bid like all the others, but it’s not possible to play football there in the summer. You have to put a lot of effort into cooling the stadiums. My suggestion would be to host in the winter.” 

In June 2014 Beckenbauer was suspended by FIFA from all football related activities for failing to help with the investigations of FIFA’s ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia. 

Beckenbauer then agreed to take part in the investigation and the ban was lifted. 

He told Securing Sport that he did not initially complete Garcia’s questionnaire because it was in complex legal English and he would have preferred to have answered such questions in German. 

FIFA has indicated that the ethics report, which should now be in its final stages, will not be made public. But Beckenbauer said the report should be made public as soon as it is finished. 

“Rumours are going round and that is very negative,” he said. “If the recent report has been finalised, it should be published. It’s up to FIFA – there is an Executive Committee to make these decisions, but personally, there is nothing to hide.”

Winning bid was my best achievement

Beckenbauer told delegates at Securing Sport that winning the bid to host the 2006 World Cup exceeded all of his many sporting and professional achievements.

Franz Beckenbauer led his national team to world cup victory as captain in 1974 and as manager in 1990. Yet asked by moderator David Walsh of the Sunday Times to name his greatest achievement, Beckenbauer said “Winning the bid for 2006 was the greatest moment of my sporting career.”

The greatest effect of winning the bid was the effect it had on sport in the country, he said. “German football has never been better than now; that is down to the World Cup. We have great infrastructure and full capacities. 

“The way football has developed is fantastic. I feel sorry for other sports: you switch on the television and all you see is football.”

Beckenbauer told delegates in London that hosting the World Cup could have a similar positive effect in England. “It is surprising that England hasn’t won the World Cup since 1966. There is so much talent, such great stadiums and fans, financially there is no problem.

“If England won a bid to host a World Cup, perhaps that might be an incentive for improving the standard of football.”

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