BRAZIL World Cup winner Roberto Carlos has endorsed plans to overhaul the international soccer calendar, saying the mooted changes would reduce the physical burden on players. World soccer governing body FIFA will hold an online summit next week with its member associations to discuss a series of proposals, which include a push to stage the World Cup every two years. “This idea reduces the number of trips as you would have the qualifying stages done in one month,” the former Real Madrid left-back said in a FIFA video. The existing fixture schedule for men’s soccer runs until the end of 2024 while the women’s calendar is due to expire in 2023. FIFA has set up technical advisory groups to study the plans, headed by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and former U.S. women’s team boss Jill Ellis. The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and European governing body UEFA have expressed their opposition to the idea. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have said they are open to the proposal. (Xinhua) | 