FIFA president Gianni Infantino sparked criticism on Wednesday when he said increased revenues from a biennial World Cup could create opportunities for Africans who otherwise may find "death in the sea" crossing the Mediterranean.
He later said his address to the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organization, had been "misinterpreted" and that he meant that socer could "help improve the situation of people around the world."
The idea of staging a World Cup every two years has been gathering steam, with Infantino trying to get support from national federations, saying the switch would create an extra $4.4 billion in revenues.