You may not realize it, but hosting a successful football tournament takes a lot of work. Whether it be planning, scheduling, or security, there are lots of aspects to look at.
But when nations pull it off successfully, it is a sight to behold. It’s why online betting sites like 22bet Nigeria are so popular, as more players to try out their luck on major football tournaments like the World Cup or the FA Cup.
Major Football Tournaments
Here is a list of some of the best known football tournaments around the world today.
- FIFA (International Association Football Federation) World Cup
It is the most prestigious global tournament in the world of football. FIFA World Cup, since 1930, has been held every four years. Over three billion people watch the FIFA World Cup worldwide and almost one billion supporters watch the finals.
Related Posts
It was first played in Uruguay in 1930 and except for the Second World War, there have been no interruptions. With 13 nations participating, it was considered “the real deal”. Since then, it has only become more popular.
- UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League
European football clubs regard the UEFA Champions League to be the most popular. A reformed version of the European Cup, the UEFA Champions League was played in the 1992-1993 season, for the first time.
Now consisting of 32 clubs, a club can keep the Champions League trophy permanently. However, this rule applies to the club which wins the trophy five times or three times in a row. It is celebrated with almost equal admiration and excitement as FIFA World Cup.
- FA Cup (Football Association Challenge Cup)
It is a competition that is held among English football clubs on a yearly basis. It is regarded as the oldest form of the tournament in the world of football.
The FA Cup was first held in 1871-1872. At that time the competitors included twelve British teams. In 1913, the finals were held at Crystal Palace. 121,000 people gathered to was the match. This massive gathering set a world record for football tournaments.
- Copa América
First organized in 1916, this South American football championship involves 10 countries from Conmebol. It is regarded as the world’s oldest national team competition.
It was originally called “Campeonato Sudamericano de Fútbol” (in Spanish). Since 1993, Mexico has been a regular participant in Copa América.
- FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup is held every four years, just before the year of a World Cup tournament. The last championship trophy was bagged by Germany. Germany won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup after Chile lost to them.
It was originally held by Saudi Arabia and in honor of their ruler, was named the King Fahd Cup.
- AFC(Asian Football Confederation) Asian Cup
Organized since 1956, the AFC Asian Cup includes all the teams/clubs of the Asian Confederation. The contestants compete for the position of the continental champion of Asia. Possibly, it can be called the oldest continental football tournament after Copa América.
Challenges
- The cost of building stadiums, assembling teams, and the overall organization of the tournaments is extremely high. Therefore, the profits from such tournaments have to guarantee financial security.
- The place that hosts such major tournaments is affected by global exposure. Sometimes, publicity can be a challenge in case of scandals and controversies.
- Local enterprises suffer greatly as global brands pay large sums to get exclusive rights in the tournaments. While these wealthy donors experience economic satisfaction after major tournaments, local brands get overshadowed.
