Plans for Qatar 'Dream Football League' - reports

The Qatar royal family plans to offer the biggest clubs in the world £175million each to join global football league, according to a report in The Times.

Last Updated: 13/03/13 at 09:27 Post Comment

The paper reports that the 'Dream Football League' will take place every two years (starting in 2015) in Qatar and 'neighbouring Gulf states', and will guarantee elite clubs the prize money, just for competing.

The league would have 16 permanent members (including four from England), with another eight 'competing on an invitational basis.'

According to The Times: 'The project is being driven from Doha and Paris after the recent takeover of Paris Saint-Germain by Qatar Sports Investment (QSI).

'Qatar is eager to win the full support of the increasingly influential European Club Association (ECA), which is involved in a continuing power struggle with Uefa and Fifa, but the recent ECA general assembly, held in Doha, featured a stern warning from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the chairman, to PSG about the French club's aggressive attempts to win power and influence among the game's elite.'

Each competition would be held in the summer, in 'off' years when there is no European Championship or World Cup. This is partly to display that Qatar can host a global world event, ahead of the World Cup in 2022, despite plans to host that tournament in the winter in order to avoid 40C-plus temperatures.

By way of comparison, Chelsea were awarded £47.3million for winning the Champions League last season - part of a total prize money pot of £595million. The DFL would hand out £4.2billion to the 24 sides just for taking part.

It's a stupid idea of Premier League proportions. Remember that expression: "Live by the sword and die and by the sword"? Certain Premiership and top Euro clubs have hogged the Euro money tree for years and someone has come up with an idea which will always tempt those who might struggle with the joke which is FFP and that isn't just Chelsea and City. I would be surprised if this first attempt to create another competition based on sheer greed like the Premiership worked but sooner or later an idea like this will be implemented. Money talks and big money talks loudest. Playing in summer in Quatar? I can't normally even walk in 40 Celsius but for a million squid or so I could be tempted.....
- dactyl

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