Since Der Spiegel leaked the story that several of Europe's biggest clubs plan to form a European Super League, football has been awash with rumours as to what consequences the move would have on the domestic game.
It appears if a Super League does come into existence, the World Cup would also be severely affected, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino stating that players that play in the new league would be banned from the World Cup:
We have seen for many years these attempts to break away outside of the structures, going back to the 1990s.
You are either in or you are out. If there are players who don't play organised football then that encompasses everything - national leagues, confederation competitions, the Euros and the World Cup.
It is up to us to protect football and come up with solutions that benefit clubs and also the world football community.
The Italian said that the threat of big clubs forming their own league has always been present in football and proffered a proposal for a Club World Cup as the answer to clubs set on joining a European Super League:
This matter has been on the table for twenty years. The risk exists, it is real. There are documents. But it is our responsibility to find ways for football to be united. This is why we have proposed a new Club World Cup. It is important to state that FIFA, with this tournament, also appeals to solidarity. Private entrepreneurs don't do it. We do. It is decided in March, but I am not a prophet and I don't know if it will be approved. But I have a challenge to convince clubs to improve the current World Cup we already have. And convince them with compromises. Football is not a nuclear war.
