European Club Association (ECA) president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described FIFA’s 48-World Cup as “nonsense” yesterday and warned soccer’s governing body that the balance of power in the sport was shifting towards his members.

However, Rummenigge played down suggestions that clubs could rebel against soccer’s governing body by refusing to release players for international matches and tournaments.

“The increase from 32 to 48 teams is actually nonsense, we had a format which everyone was happy with” he told an audience at the Spobis conference in Duesseldorf.

“At the end of the day, there are the top clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, the big Spanish and English clubs, Paris St Germain, Juventus,” said Rummenigge.

“That is a shift of power that neither UEFA or FIFA can stop and things have changed dramatically in the last few years.”

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