UEFA: New York Cosmos To Receive Invite To Play in Champions League?

Rumours around Europe suggest UEFA are planning on opening up the entry criteria for Europe's cup competitions, with New York Cosmos being touted as the first non European side to be invited to join the illustrious Champions League competition as a guest side.

According to The Guardian newspaper in the UK, "UEFA are planning this in their bid to keep Europe afloat." and also see this as "..another opportunity for Eric Cantona to flop in Europe."

The competition has morphed more into a best of the best competition rather than a Champions of Europe cup competition that it used to be, and through this changing of the criteria it could see invited guest sides feature, or perhaps trailblaze, the road for a more open and global challenge competition.

This move to invite New York Cosmos would see Frenchman and ex-Manchester United player Eric Cantona, who is Sporting Director of the Retro soccer side, return to the continent.

UEFA are probably keen to beef up the competition that, although rich and full of excitement, holds no surprises, as the larger teams are gathering a stranglehold on the competition, offering no new competition to the final rounds year on year.

There is of course the World Club Championships that currently take place, but that isn't really taken seriously by the major sides of Europe. By extending the current format, this could be seen as the first stage of a major global club competition, and that would be exciting!

Imagine the current UEFA Champions League combining with the CONCACAF Champions League (North & Central America) and the best from CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana (South America). There could even be some entries from Asia, the Middle East & Australia. This would truly be a major global event that could compete with the World Cup in terms of viewing!

Marc Roseblade is a Contributor for Bleacher Report as well as Not Just Scottish Football and youth development reporter for Ayr United Football Academy.

New York Cosmos to Join UEFA Champions League?