The South African Football Association (Safa) has expressed an interest in bidding for the 2021 Fifa Club World Cup.
This was revealed by Safa president Danny Jordaan, who was re-elected for a second term to the helm of the football controlling body in the country last weekend.
"The target date is 2021. It is still a work in progress but we will indicate early on that we have an interest," said Jordaan.
In its current guise the Club World Cup is a yearly seven-club tournament that features seven teams - the six continental champions of Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, South America plus one team from the host nation.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has proposed an expanded competition that will see participants increased to 24 teams and the event taking place every four years.
The bone of contention on Infantino's expansion proposal is that Europe will have a greater allocation of teams.
Jordaan said the Confederation of African Football (Caf) was not happy with the proposed formula of the breakdown."From a Caf perspective we still want to engage Fifa on the allocation because out of the 24 teams, Europe gets 12, Africa gets two, North America gets two, Asia gets two and six goes to South America.
"They will take the two finalists from the Champions League of Europe plus two finalist over four years, which makes it eight.
"Over and above that they'll take the winner of the Europa League, which gives an extra four teams to Europe.
"It is that breakdown that is causing consternation for Caf.
"How are you going to allocate two places for Africa over four years? We are going to meet with Infantino in Moscow [at the Fifa congress which will decide the hosts for the 2026 World Cup between Morocco and the joint bid of the US, Mexico and Canada]. We have just fought for years for more allocation in the World Cup. Now you come again and allocate only two," said Jordaan.
In April the New York Times reported that companies from the US, the Middle East, Japan and China had shown interest in backing the expanded Club World Cup, adding that "a group of investors had offered an eye-watering amount to buy a revamped and enlarged Club World Cup and rights to a proposed global league for national teams".
The amount being bandied about is $25-billion. "They are talking about a $25-billion dollar sponsorship for the increased Club World Cup. It will be amazing for South Africa and therefore we have to look at it.
"We then have to look at what does it mean for professional football in our country. You will have the biggest clubs, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool playing against our clubs but it will be nice if we can get an increase to at least four.
"Because the host country always gets a place, we will be guaranteed one club as a host. Probably we'll have to take the league [Premier Soccer League] winner at the time.
"That will be a huge incentive for the league during that year. Beyond the prize money they get a massive dollar injection just for participation.
"If a second team can win the Champions League then there'll be a second team from South Africa."
Jordaan said Safa were also planning a bid for the Women's World Cup for either 2023 or 2027. "We are launching a national women's league next year in June to help our players get to a level where they can compete with the best in the world."..