Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola supports Arsene Wenger’s two-year World Cup plan

Guardiola believes new format would be tournament of ‘the biggest quality’

Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola is open to Fifa’s idea for a biennial World Cup and believes that the plans led by Arsene Wenger should be discussed between all of world football's stakeholders.

The Manchester City manager has lent his tacit support to the plans, which would see the tournament held every two years rather than four. A vote of Fifa's 211 members is expected to be held later this year.

Wenger, who is now working as Fifa's chief of global football development, believes that the proposals would not increase the workload on players as world football's governing body expects new competitions to fill the currently vacant summer months.

Guardiola agrees with that analysis, and said on Friday that the new format would be a tournament of "the biggest quality", but called for all those within football to discuss the plans without self-interest.

"Always I’m glad when new ideas are put on the table to be discussed. You don’t have to criminalise ideas," he said.

"The clubs and the leagues defend their position, Fifa defend theirs and Uefa defend theirs. That’s why when we talk about global football ideas it is ridiculous because everyone just looks after themselves.

"The World Cup is amazing. As a supporter I enjoy watching and if it is every two years that would be good. I’m in agreement with Arsene in that if it isn’t the World Cup then it will be another competition. The Confederation Cup or a new tournament.

"The only reality is that the top players only have two weeks off, not three months for regeneration physically and mentally. It is just two or three weeks off. During 11 months it is games, games, games.

"What I think Arsene has proposed is a tournament of the biggest quality. OK, we don’t play the World Cup and they’ll just create another tournament, that is for sure."

Guardiola added: "I’m glad that one person who has done incredible things in world football – not just the Premier League – has put a situation on the table. We are going to talk about the good things and bad things related to it.

"But don’t say altogether we’re going to think about it because this is ridiculous. Everybody thinks for themselves, that’s why I’m not a big supporter of (the idea) that we will unify what is best for football for the next years."