More worldwide football tournaments involving all national teams could be coming to every odd-numbered year. The UEFA-led Global Nations League could replace many often-meaningless friendly matches, according to The Associated Press.

 

The plan would invite all 223 members of FIFA's six continental confederations and take place every two years. The format expands on the UEFA Nations League, which kicks off next September in Europe.

 

"UEFA can confirm that it has initiated discussions regarding the evolution of the UEFA Nations League,'' the governing body of European soccer said Friday in a statement.

 

The first mini-tournaments -- each in a knockout bracket and each hosted over one week in a different country -- could be played in 2021, the officials said.

 

If approved, the plan means teams like Germany, Brazil, Spain, Iceland, Wales, Argentina, Japan and the United States could play each other competitively between each World Cup, maybe even twice in those spans.