FIFA chief Infantino says biennial World Cup can help give Africans a better life

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has suggested reforms to football’s calendar could help prevent Africans from dying at sea through migration.

World football’s governing body has put forward plans which include staging a World Cup every two years.

Infantino says more regular World Cups can help provide hope for some nations.

“We need to give opportunities and we need to give dignity,” said Infantino.

“Not by giving charity, but by allowing the rest of the world to participate. We need to give hope to Africans so they don’t need to cross the Mediterranean in order to find, maybe, a better life, but more probably death in the sea.”

More than 23,000 people are missing as a result of attempts to cross the Mediterranean according to data gathered by the Missing Migrants Project.

Caf, the African governing body, has given its backing, while Uefa, Europe’s major leagues and South American football’s governing body Conmebol have all opposed plans for a biennial World Cup.

Fifa delegates have been told switching the staging of football’s biggest international tournament would generate £3.3bn in additional revenue over a four-year cycle.