IOC 'unhappy' over FIFA's biennial World Cup plan 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it has concerns about FIFA's push for football World Cups every two years.

Though President Thomas Bach said the IOC would not interfere in FIFA’s discussion, the Olympic Committee stepped in after a meeting in Athens to detail objections it shared with football stakeholders.

An IOC statement on the FIFA’s push said clashes in the schedule with other sports, the men's World Cup overshadowing women's editions of the tournament, and a massive strain on athlete welfare would be in the offing.

FIFA revealed its detailed plan last month, after meeting with retired players, to redraft the calendar of international soccer competitions with biennial World Cups for men and women at the heart.

The proposal, strongly backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, was announced before formally consulting member federations in the World Cup strongholds of Europe and South America.

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The region's governing bodies, UEFA and CONMEBOL, have warned of a World Cup boycott if FIFA pushes ahead with a plan that would undermine their continental championships, which are organized on the same four-year cycle as the IOC's Summer Games.

The Olympics and the football continental championships will be played next in 2024.

Many sports to bear brunt of FIFA's decison: IOC

The IOC said tennis, cycling, golf, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, Formula One and many other sports would be affected by more football World Cups.

In a statement, the IOC said the move would undermine the diversity and development of sports other than football.

FIFA, whose next scheduled World Cups are in 2022 and 2026, has not specified wanting to stay on for even-numbered years for the biennial men's World Cup. A switch to odd-numbered years, possibly starting in 2029, could be proposed.

FIFA has not set a formal date for a decision on its World Cup proposal, though has suggested a meeting of its 211 national members could be held in December.