FIFA Club World Cup: What to know as the most revolutionary soccer tournament of this century kicks off

CNN

15 hours ago

When the ball gets kicked off the center circle of Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, the United States will go down in history as the first host of the most important soccer tournament created this century.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, taking place from June 14 to July 13, is undoubtedly FIFA's boldest bet in a long time. For the first time, 32 teams will face off every four years in a format like the one used by national teams from 1998 to 2022: eight groups of four teams, with the top two from each group advancing to the round of 16, followed by single-elimination playoffs.
On the sporting side, the event is highly promising. It will feature 12 European giants: Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid from Spain, Inter Milan and Juventus from Italy, Manchester City and Chelsea from England, recent Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain from France, and Germany's Bayern Munich. There will be 10 teams from the Americas, such as Boca Juniors, Flamengo, River Plate, Palmeiras, Botafogo, Pachuca, and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. The tournament is rounded out by four teams from Asia, four from Africa, and one from Oceania – which happens to be an amateur side.
However, this ambitious project faces several questions worth taking a deeper look at.
World soccer governing body FIFA claims the tournament is on track for great financial success, as projected in its most recent financial report released in April. According to the report, the tournament could generate up to $21.1 billion for the global GDP, with $9.6 billion in the United States alone. The tournament will also distribute an attractive $1 billion in total prize money, with the champion taking home up to $125 million. For many participating clubs without the financial strength of those in the developed world, this competition is a chance to significantly boost their coffers.
FIFA awarded broadcasting rights to sports network DAZN, which plans to offer all 63 games for free. According to information published by AFP in December 2024, FIFA received about $1.05 billion in return. FIFA estimates total stadium attendance will approach 3.7 million people from around the world. However, just days before the opening, Ticketmaster – the tournament's ticket sales platform – showed availability for all matches. In fact, some initial ticket prices have dropped significantly.
For example, ahead of publication, the cheapest tickets for the opening match between Inter Miami and Egypt's Al Ahly were around $69, much lower than the original listing price. For Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain's match against Atlético Madrid in Los Angeles, the lowest price was $61, while Real Madrid's debut in Miami against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal started at $265 and a ticket to see Boca Juniors' first match in Miami against Benfica was as low as $41.
Given the number of tickets available just days before the tournament and the dynamic pricing system in the US, which adjusts based on demand, it's likely that those who wait until the last minute to buy tickets could pay even less. It appears on a glance that the high initial prices could have scared off some fans.
Additionally, unlike a traditional World Cup where each team represents an entire country, the teams in this competition only represent a specific segment of the population. Many in that group may not have the money or free time to attend the tournament.
The tournament's qualification format allowed some of the world's best teams to participate. The Club World Cup offers a unique chance for many of the world's top players to face each other again. For example, we'll see Messi once again competing against a top European team like Porto, Edinson Cavani facing a club like Bayern Munich, or Venezuelan Salomón Rondón trying to settle an old score from his time in Spain by finally scoring against Real Madrid.
The old Intercontinental Cup, which pitted the Champions League winner against the Copa Libertadores champion, always excited South Americans more than Europeans. For fans south of the Equator, it was a do-or-die match where David had a chance to beat Goliath. The new format makes that feat even harder. To become world champions, Latin American teams will likely have to defeat not just one, but several Goliaths.
Moreover, the difference in squad values between European clubs and the rest suggests the tournament will be dominated by teams from the old continent. For example, according to Transfermarkt.com, PSG's squad is valued at just over $1 billion, while Brazil's Botafogo, the latest Copa Libertadores champion, is valued at only $183 million. The most valuable squad in the tournament is Real Madrid at $1.5 billion, while Palmeiras is the top-valued Latin American team at $288 million.
While soccer isn't won in the boardroom or with money, European clubs have a clear competitive advantage, especially since top Latin American players often leave their home clubs after just a few years or, in some cases, a handful of matches. The most recent example is River Plate's young star Franco Mastantuono, bought by Los Merengues after only 49 games for the Buenos Aires club. This tournament will be his last before moving to Spain.
'This is the first cup played this way. I think it will help level the playing field, and surely all the clubs will be happy,' said former fullback and now Inter Milan executive Javier Zanetti after the tournament draw in December.
Another challenge is the packed match schedule, which in some ways punishes players from the most successful clubs. For example, Bradley Barcola played the most minutes for PSG, logging 3,643 minutes across 58 matches. On average, European clubs that played in the Champions League, like Real Madrid and Manchester City, played 50 matches in the year across league, domestic cup and European competition, not counting the 10–12 additional matches many stars played for their national teams.
'I would have loved to play in a tournament like this … though I'm sure it would have taken a few days off my vacation,' joked the legendary Brazil striker Ronaldo Nazário during the tournament draw in December 2024. 'I think we all need to talk and find a solution for the calendar. Many players are complaining, there are many injuries, and the demands are very high. We need to respect and listen to the players,' the former Los Blancos star added.
In this regard, the only measure FIFA seems to have taken to reduce the number of games is not having the third-place match. During an interview with CNN Sports in April, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: 'But we're very careful about the calendar and about the health of the players. I mean, we want to do everything for the players to be in the best conditions to perform in the best way … and that's what many players tell me as well, what you want is to play rather than to train, right?'
Another area for improvement in this debut tournament is that its qualification system leaves out some of the world's current best teams. For example, Chelsea qualified as the 2021 Champions League winner, but the latest domestic champions of two of the world's top leagues – the Premier League's Liverpool and La Liga's FC Barcelona – did not.
Chelsea finished 12th in the Premier League in 2022/2023, sixth in 2023/2024, and fourth in the most recent season. Its current squad is very different from the one that was crowned European champion four years ago.
Despite the issues and doubts this new tournament may raise, FIFA's gamble is undeniably big and attractive. Perhaps, in a few years, clubs will start sewing stars onto their jerseys to represent how many world championships they have, and it will become an important factor in debates among fans about which club is the 'biggest' on the planet.
Though for now, it's time to kick back, put your feet up and watch the show.