Footballers around the world have given a resounding red card to Fifa’s proposal to hold the World Cup every two years, according to a survey by players’ global union Fifpro. The findings, released on Tuesday, showed 75% of more than 1,000 male players questioned over the global governing body’s plans to shake-up the international calendar were in favour of retaining the tournament’s current four-year cycle. In Europe and Asia 77% of players supported maintaining the status quo, against 63% from the Americas. In Africa the figure dropped to 49%, with the remainder split between holding the competition every two or three years. “While a clear majority of players support the current frequency of the World Cup, a demand exists, particularly in smaller and medium-sized markets, to further develop and strengthen national team competitions,” Fifpro said. 📊⚽ Three in every four professional men’s footballers want to keep the FIFA World Cup every four years, according to a survey of 1,000 players from six continents and over 70 different nationalities. — FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) February 15, 2022 When asked to pick their preferred competition 81% singled out their domestic league or the World Cup “in its current four-year cycle”. Fifpro general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said the survey showed “most footballers around the world have a clear preference to play the World Cup every four years”. He said the results also underlined the importance of domestic league competitions to players. “These leagues are the bedrock of our game and we have to do more to strengthen them both for the sake of players and the overall stability of professional football.” Another key finding was that only 21 per cent of believe their voice is respected and their well-being is adequately considered in the context of international football governance. “Therefore, this survey underlines the need for more collective bargaining frameworks in our industry, especially at the international level,” Baer-Hoffmann said. The controversial switch to a two-year World Cup cycle championed by Fifa president Gianni Infantino is opposed by a block comprising the European and South American federations and major clubs, but backed by the Confederation of African Football. Stanciu to Wuhan Meanwhile closer to home and there is movement in the Chinese Super League as Romanian midfielder Nicolae Stanciu departs Slavia Prague for CSL newcomers Wuhan Three Towns. The 28-year-old, who has scored 11 goals in 54 international games for Romania, will join Wuhan on a three-year deal, his agent David Zika said in a tweet. “The move is advantageous for him and the club. His contract is about to expire, he has a certain age,” Slavia chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik said. Stanciu joined Slavia, which has Chinese owners, in 2019 in a controversial move as he had earlier played for the club’s arch-rivals Sparta Prague. Stanciu has also played for Vaslui and Steaua Bucharest in his native Romania, for Anderlecht in Belgium and Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia. He scored 26 goals in 112 games for Slavia with whom he won two Czech titles and reached the Europa League quarter-finals in the 2020/21 season.