The Club World Cup format has provided group-stage jeopardy that the 48-team World Cup may lack

New York Times

10 hours ago

Clarity was in short supply during the breathless, end-to-end drama of Monday's Group A finale in Miami and New Jersey, but the tension of the two games should crystallise one thing for FIFA when it comes to deliberating on the future direction of the Club World Cup.
The expansion to 32 teams has, so far, been a sporting success, providing the proof of concept the competition needed to legitimise itself — but world football's governing body must not allow the madness of Porto's 4-4 draw against Al Ahly and Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Palmeiras to indulge a logic that assumes more always equals better.
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The two helter-skelter matches were perfect examples of the jeopardy that comes from only two teams in each four-team group progressing into the knockouts.
It was the sort of night that looks likely to be far rarer at next summer's 48-team World Cup — increased from 32 — because the eight best third-placed sides will also progress.
The World Cup's 48-team concept is bloated. After 72 group games, more than 6,500 minutes of football, 48 teams will be whittled down by just a third to 32.
It will surely render many matches meaningless and, while there will be a whole load of permutations in working out who are the best third-placed teams, it is direct conflict within one group that creates these gladiatorial duels in the final games.
Heading into the final matchdays of the group stage at this Club World Cup, only one group out of eight has been decided with a game to spare — Group G, with Juventus and Manchester City.
The overall quality of Group A, which lacked a pre-tournament favourite, may have been poorer but the flatness of the hierarchy made for captivating viewing.
Egyptian club Al Ahly entered their match with Porto knowing they had to win and hope Palmeiras beat Inter Miami if they were to finish level on four points with the MLS side and go through on goal difference. Porto had to win and hope Inter Miami beat Palmeiras for the same reason.
Palmeiras and Inter Miami knew that a draw would put them both through but finishing top meant avoiding UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, so the carrot was there to attack.
They traded punches wildly, with Al Ahly taking the lead and being pegged back four times, including a period of 13 minutes in the second half which included four goals.
The all-or-nothing nature of the match led to a level of individualism that encouraged bravery and delivered the spectacular. There was Rodrigo Mora's slaloming solo goal, William Gomes' 25-yard curler, Wessam Abou Ali's superb header to round off a perfect hat-trick and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane's whipped finish from outside the box.
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When Palmeiras drew level in the 87th minute, they were back to where they began the night — knowing that a stalemate until the final whistle would assure safe passage into the knockout for both.
But this was an evening of chaos, and so it proved to be until the very last kick. After the odd attempt at keep-ball from both sides, Palmeiras launched a long ball up the pitch in the 95th minute which set Paulinho through on goal, only for he and Victor Roque to be denied by Inter Miami keeper Oscar Ustari.
'If I could give that hat-trick back and go through obviously I would,' said Al Ahly striker Abou Ali.
'It's something I will look back at in some years and be happy and proud of because Porto is a good team but today we had one goal and that was to do what we can do to put ourselves in a situation to go through, no matter what happened in the other game.
'It was close to that but in the end it wasn't enough, but I'm proud of my team and the fans and my staff.'
Bringing so many teams together from every continent threatened to expose the financial gulf between Europe and the rest, but it has instead served as a reminder that it is still 11 versus 11.
Even in the groups in which there were two European clubs, there have been early unexpected eliminations. Botafogo's victory over PSG left the French champions having to win their final game against Seattle Sounders, which they did, but it also meant Atletico Madrid had to beat Botafogo by a margin of three goals, which they could not do.
Group F is finely poised, with Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns all competing to finish in the top two.
In Group E and H, there could be a scenario in which yellow cards or even the drawing of lots has to be reached for.
If Monterrey beat Urawa Red Diamonds and Inter and River Plate draw, all three would be level on five points and all three would have drawn against each other so would not be able to be separated on head-to-head results.
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The same goes for Real Madrid, who face Red Bull Salzburg and know a win will send them through, but a draw combined with a win for Al Hilal over Pachuca will leave all three teams on five points apiece, bringing the tie-break rules into play.
In Group D, Chelsea face ES Tunis and need to avoid defeat to go through. However, their opposition must win and that leads to one of the major drawbacks with the World Cup format next year.
The Tunisians are on three points but if they knew that the best third-place finishers could still qualify, it would likely encourage a cagier display as teams are not solely competing against their group opponents, so would be motivated to try to earn a draw.
'Part of our responsibility as clubs is to try to play a good brand of football, try to motivate the people here in the USA to come to the games, to fill the stadiums,' said Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro.
'For that I think you need games like our game tonight.'