UEFA and CONMEBOL, the football governing bodies in Europe and South America, will stage a match between the winners of their respective continental championships in the summer of 2022.
The champions at UEFA Euro 2020 and CONMEBOL Copa America 2021, Italy and Argentina, respectively, will meet in the international window in June 2022. The venue remains undisclosed.
“The organizing of this match is part of the expansion of the cooperation between UEFA and CONMEBOL, which notably includes women’s football, futsal and youth categories, the exchange of referees, as well as technical training schemes,” UEFA said in a statement.
UEFA and CONMEBOL will open a joint office in London to coordinate common projects. The match between the winners of the Euros and Copa America will take place at least three times in the future. Although an official name for the competition is yet to be divulged, Reuters sources revealed the working title of the game is ‘Finalissima’.
“UEFA and CONMEBOL express their commitment to the development of football beyond their geographical zones, as a bridge uniting people, countries, continents, and cultures,” UEFA added.
At the continental football gatherings last summer, UEFA and CONMEBOL had a referee exchange. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin appeared to speak for CONMEBOL too when asked what he thought about FIFA’s project for a biennial World Cup.
“We can decide not to play in it,” Ceferin told The Times. “As far as I know, the South Americans are on the same page. So good luck with a World Cup like that. I think it will never happen as it is so much against the basic principles of football,” Ceferin stated.
Despite the critics, FIFA hasn’t abandoned plans for a World Cup revolution. The global football association wants a vote from its members to take place by the end of the year.