FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced a new 32-team Club World Cup which will replicate the international tournament in a move that is sure to divide fans that will start in 2025.
At his final press conference in Qatar, FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed a new 32-team Club World Cup that will be an exact replica of the international competition.
The replacement competition will begin in 2025 with the same number of participating teams as the 2022 World Cup, four years after the first schedule was cancelled due to the pandemic.
With the 2022 Club World Cup slated to take place in Morocco in February of 2023 with the customary seven teams, a women’s Club World Cup will also be introduced. No other information was provided.
FIFA established the Club World Cup in 2000, and seven teams have participated in each of the past 15 seasons, with the Champions League champions making it all the way to the semifinals each year.
It is contested by the winners of the Asian AFC Champions League, African CAF Champions League, North, Central America and Caribbean CONCACAF Champions League, South American CONMEBOL Libertadores, Oceania’s OFC Champions League and UEFA Champions League winners of the previous season – as well as the reigning national champions of the host nation.
Recall, Back in 2016 when Infantino first suggested the expansion, saying it would be more attractive to broadcasters and sponsors.
Shortly before Infantino’s announcement, the Mail reported that Europe’s elite clubs rejected a proposal for the expansion.
A tournament in the United States was reportedly planned, and the source stated that FIFA might provide £150 million in prize money as an incentive.
Since the competition’s inception, Manchester United in 2008, Liverpool in 2019, and Chelsea in 2018 have all won the title of Club World Champions in their respective sports.
Another FIFA idea that has drawn criticism is their intention for the 2026 World Cup, which would be held by the United States, Canada, and Mexico as part of a joint bid, to feature 16 groups of three teams.
With FIFA currently in talks about keeping with four-team groups, it would mean that 16 teams would only play two games at the tournament and a further knockout round would be added.
One of their ideas included holding penalty shootouts following tied group stage games to ensure there were no drawn games.