The politics and controversy behind FIFA's reshaped Club World Cup

Sky News

16 hours ago

Among Donald Trump's gilded additions to the Oval Office, one ornament stands out: symbolising power plays in sport and geopolitics.
The outlandish, elaborate golden discs form football's newest prize: the Club World Cup that will be handed out in New Jersey on 14 July, after 63 matches across 11 American cities.
The trophy has become part of presidential theatre, prominent for all the major announcements - from nuclear warnings to Iran to celebrating the trade deal with Britain.
It was hand-delivered to Mr Trump three months ago by Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president whose name is etched into it. Twice.
This whole competition - supersizing an old, little-regarded format from seven to 32 clubs - is very much Mr Infantino's creation to reshape world football and extend FIFA's reach into the club game.
For a trophy inspired by NASA missions into space - featuring astronomy and maps - it also signals how Mr Infantino has gained influence in Mr Trump's orbit.
Becoming the commander-in-chief's closest non-American associate has secured invites to political speeches as well as sporting trips.
The alliance - contentious given Mr Trump's rhetoric and interventions on topics such as immigration and diversity - is defended as fast-tracking decision-making at the highest level.
This Club World Cup (CWC) is in many ways the test event for the more complex tournament next summer, as the World Cup is contested by 48 men's national teams across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
"I think it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the president," Mr Infantino said.
But the CWC begins against the backdrop of immigration raids and violent protests in Los Angeles amid concerns fans could be targeted or denied entry to FIFA events.
Saudi Arabia's role
This was a tournament intended to launch in China in 2021 until the pandemic shook the world and interest in football waned in the country once heavily courted by FIFA.
And so attention shifted to Saudi Arabia.
It can appear that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has bailed out Mr Infantino, bankrolling his pet project.
There was little interest from FIFA's usual World Cup broadcasters - BBC and ITV in Britain - until loss-making streamer DAZN stepped in with a $1bn (£736m) deal, just around the time Saudi Arabia was handed the hosting of the 2034 World Cup.
That was followed by DAZN selling a 10% stake to SURJ, an investment firm owned by Saudi's sovereign wealth fund, chaired by MBS.
And then, completing the circle, the Public Investment Fund signed up as a CWC sponsor less than two weeks before the tournament begins.
PIF also owns Al-Hilal, who qualified as Asian Champions League winners for the CWC in a group featuring Real Madrid.
A Super League?
Given Mr Infantino maintains the extravaganza features the 32 best teams in the world, what, for example, are RB Salzburg doing there?
While four of Europe's slots went to recent Champions League winners, the other eight went to the best-performing teams ranked by European results in recent years.
And while Liverpool should have made the cut by that measure, FIFA imposed a cap on two teams per country unless they had all qualified as competition winners.
So FIFA only has Chelsea and Manchester City, although Lionel Messi's Inter Miami were handed a place as national champions despite not actually winning the main American soccer title.
To some, this could seem to be the genesis of a Super League - the aborted European breakaway in 2021 - in a different guise.
Champions League organiser UEFA once tried to thwart the CWC, given it could diminish the status of its own competition, before caving-in to FIFA.
And while selling tickets and finding viewers will be challenging, it will be lucrative for the participants.
That Saudi $1bn (£736m) is all going back to clubs, with up to $125m (£92m) for the winners.
Workload concerns
Chelsea and City have already played 57 matches this season - now up to seven more are being bolted on.
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And their players could have had up to 10 international matches over the last year, including two in the gap between the end of the domestic season and the CWC trip.
It is why - in plans first revealed by Sky News in 2023 - global players' union FIFPRO has launched a legal challenge claiming FIFA has abused a dominant position to risk the health of players.
But the European Commission has not officially taken up the case to prevent this launch.
And, given that other FIFA events have already expanded - or are expanding - to 48 finalists, the Club World Cup could be here to stay - and even get even bigger.
There is also still the delayed women's tournament, which is set to finally launch in 2028.