MIAMI: FIFA’s billion-dollar gamble to revolutionise club football begins on Saturday with plenty of cash up for grabs but questionable enthusiasm as 32 teams prepare to contest the expanded Club World Cup in 12 stadiums across the United States.
The tournament designed as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup has had to contend with the prospect of empty seats along with controversial qualification rules and player welfare concerns after an exhausting European season.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami face Egypt’s Al Ahly in the opening fixture of the June 14-July 13 tournament in Miami against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, strike threats and repeated concerns over players’ mental and physical welfare due to the increased number of games.
Certainly the event adds to an already busy schedule for the world’s top players. Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram and Paris St Germain’s Desire Doue both played in UEFA’s Champions League final on May 31 and then switched shirts to represent their country in the Nations League finals in Germany days later.
There has been no shortage of pushback from Europe since the bumper new addition to football’s landscape was announced in December 2023. Voices of dissent from the continent that will be sending the most teams to the tournament have continued virtually right up to its big launch.
That sentiment is not shared universally, however. In many other parts of the world, there is a buzz of anticipation among fans about the opportunity of going up against the giants like Real Madrid in the biggest ever global tournament for clubs.
The biggest sales of tickets outside of the United States have come from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico.
The brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, football’s world governing body is banking on its tournament rivalling the Champions League and Premier League in terms of status, wealth and popularity — describing it as its “prime club competition.”
In an era when players drive interest as much as, if not more than clubs, the involvement of stars such as Messi, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe should ensure social media is buzzing.
Nailing down a last-gasp $1 billion TV rights deal with sports streaming platform DAZN six months before the tournament means a total of $2 billion in expected revenues.
That led FIFA to announce a total prize pot of $1 billion, and with the winning club to receive up to $125 million it has also likely helped fuel interest from clubs participating.
Twelve of the 32 teams come from Europe including freshly crowned Champions League winners PSG, the continent’s most successful club Real, Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea, and German powerhouses Bayern Munich.
Real have signed Trent Alexander-Arnold early to ensure he is available. Also, midfielder Jude Bellingham will reportedly delay a shoulder operation in order to play.
While City forward Phil Foden said he and his teammates were “mentally drained” after a troubled season when the once-dominant Premier League club ended up trophyless, he did not doubt its determination to win the Club World Cup.
“Some clubs will take it more seriously than others, but I know City and the club we are. We’ll definitely take it seriously,” he said.
PSG are the in-form team heading into the tournament after their historic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final and their coach Luis Enrique was also enthusiastic.
“I think it is an incredible competition. Maybe not now in its first edition, but it will become an incredibly important competition to win,” he said.
Adding local interest, there are three teams from Major League Soccer — Los Angeles FC, the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami, as well as a pair of clubs from Mexico in Pachuca and Monterrey, who can expect plenty of support in the USA.
Inter Miami controversially gained their slot by topping MLS’ regular season standings, despite then losing in the first round of the playoffs, in a decision critics say showed FIFA’s desperation to have Argentina great Miami at the showpiece.
Inter Miami were thus included as the host nation representative – instead of MLS champions LA Galaxy – with Los Angeles and Sounders making it three US teams after qualifying through their Concacaf performances.
As well as the winners of each confederation’s premier club competition, teams qualified according to a ranking based on their performances over a four-year period.
In another twist that went all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Club Leon, the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, were eventually excluded from the tournament due to having shared ownership with another qualifier.
BIG EXPECTATIONS
South America’s six teams are made up of four Brazilian clubs, including Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo and their Rio de Janeiro rivals Flamengo, along with Argentina’s two biggest clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors.
In Argentina there is huge expectation. According to FIFA, Boca were the first team to sell out tickets for their three group stage matches, likely helped by two games in Miami, where there is a large Argentine community.
“I’m going to the Club World Cup with the highest expectations,” said new Boca head coach Miguel Ángel Russo. “I dream big.”
Latin American teams have also been active in the transfer market, making marquee signings in preparation.
Former Madrid captain Sergio Ramos joined Mexican team Monterrey. In Argentina, River Plate signed seven new players and Brazilian club Palmeiras paid 18 million euros ($20 million) for striker Paulinho.
In Japan thousands of fans unfurled a huge flag saying “Grab the World Cup” ahead of Urawa Reds’ last domestic game before heading to the U.S.
For South Korea, represented by Ulsan HD, it is a case of national pride to take part. “This is not just the journey of one club, but a message that the entire K-League sends to the world,” said local news outlet Asia Today.
For Saudi Arabia, the Club World Cup is the chance to show the rapid growth of its Pro League following the oil-rich kingdom’s drive to become a major player in football, which has included luring Cristiano Ronaldo and winning the right to host the 2034 World Cup.
It will be represented by its most successful team, Al-Hilal, who failed in an attempt to sign Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes in the weeks leading up to the tournament.
American fans regularly snaffle up tickets for the big European teams who come to NFL stadiums to play pre-season friendly games and so the added competitive element should see healthy crowds for the headline performers.
Whether you call it soccer or football, for FIFA the tournament represents a dress rehearsal and a referendum on America’s appetite for the sport and on the world governing body’s vision for its commercial future ahead of the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
FIFA’s current plan is for the Club World Cup to be held every four years but it will be interesting to see if that changes after the first test of its appeal. If it is a flop, the critics will likely re-appear and question whether it is needed at all but should it be a roaring success, it is not hard to imagine some at FIFA pushing for it to be held on a more regular basis.
Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2025
