Ellis proposes the Women’s World Cup every two years to expand the calendar of international matches to develop the women’s game

Twice she won the World Cup Coach Jill Ellis once every two years proposed a women’s World Cup and an extensive calendar of international matches as part of reforms to develop the future of women’s play. Ellis, who heads FIFA’s Technical Advisory Team, also said that football at the Olympics should be extended beyond the competition of 12 teams.

In recent months, FIFA, led by Global Football Development Head Arsene Wenger, has unveiled it similar renovation Proposals for international men’s play within the football community have been opposed by confederations, including UEFA and CONMEBOL.

The Technical Advisory Team for Women’s Football (made up of football players, coaches and other important actors) was created to guide the process on the future of women’s play and the calendar of international matches. Ellis said that ultimately the two-year women’s World Cup will be decided by a vote, adding that the World Cup acts as a catalyst to increase resonance within the women’s game and create new avenues.

“We’ve had great conversations and people have presented their ideas. I can’t say this is an unexpected conclusion. I’ve told people that I need to discuss it passionately through your perspective and experiences, but then I also ask them to be grateful. Other perspectives. I thought, I didn’t really think about how the world was going through their playoffs. There are a lot of positives coming out of the World Cup. This is a democracy, this is going to go to the polls after all, “said the 55-year-old, speaking in a media interaction.

Ellis stressed the need to make recommendations and arguments about women’s play and not men’s while trying to restructure the women’s calendar.

“We’re looking at volume and we can’t have the same argument as men’s football. We did a test where we took on a French international player between men and women who plays in the home league, and as a result, the man plays 30 more games than the woman in a season. Our arguments need to be specific to our sport and our challenges, ”he said.

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Ellis came up with the idea of ​​increasing the number of international windows from three to five. “A lot of people haven’t seen a five-window calendar. We are taking this idea to a wider audience for digestion. The schedule for the women’s game would not have been the most appropriate. We have quickly built this model flow through this consultation group and people need to digest this and give us feedback.

“When it comes to the calendar, there has to be a take-it-or-leave-it. People will fight for their positions, which I respect, but my responsibility is to look after everyone sitting at the table. At the moment, we’re just coming up with recommendations in the open window, ”said the English-born American coach.

In a statement last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sought discussions on its biennial World Cup plans, stating that women’s football would suffer from the organization of men’s championships every year.

Responding to the statement, Ellis said: “I’m not a political animal, but if we really care about women’s play, it’s going to be a tournament. [Olympics] More than 12 nations. If we want to rise in popularity, we need to have access to more teams to participate and participate. I see it as a player and a coach, and I want to go big. This time around, every little girl feels more likely to play this game and I feel a greater visibility for the players to have a voice and get what they deserve, which I don’t see as a negative. Having 12 teams [in the Olympics], I think that’s not showing our game at the level I could think of. I love the Olympics, I think it’s very limited how many teams can enter the tournament. “

He added, “The Olympics have a special place, but we have to admit that it only has three European teams and because of the size of the tournament, it doesn’t allow many people to experience that. I don’t think it’s possible to expand by being part of a big event like the Olympics. “I’m more focused on what we can control within FIFA and make recommendations. I’d like to see more European teams there.”