Infantino Dubs Current Club World Cup Most Successful Global Club Competition
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared the revamped Club World Cup “the most successful club competition in the world” ahead of Sunday’s final clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, brushing aside criticism over player fatigue, fan engagement, and the tournament’s grueling schedule.
Speaking triumphantly from Trump Tower on New York City’s Fifth Avenue the site of FIFA’s newly opened U.S. office, Infantino praised the inaugural 32-team edition for its financial and organizational success, despite early skepticism.
“We can definitely say this FIFA Club World Cup has been a huge success,” Infantino told reporters. “We heard that financially it would not work, that nobody is interested, but I can say we generated almost $2.1 billion in revenues for 63 matches. That makes an average of $33 million per match no other club competition in the world comes close.”
He added, “The golden age of club football has started.”
The expanded tournament, hosted across several U.S. cities in high summer temperatures, has drawn concern from medical experts and football unions over player welfare. Some games have been played in stifling heat, prompting questions about the toll on players, especially amid an already congested football calendar.
Attendance figures have also been inconsistent, with several group stage matches seeing half empty stands. However, Infantino dismissed concerns, insisting fan interest had exceeded expectations and the event had laid the foundation for future editions.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has been among the most outspoken critics, branding the tournament “the worst idea ever implemented in football.” But Infantino rebuffed suggestions that European discontent represented the broader global sentiment.
“We shouldn’t say that the opinion of Europe on this is very bad because it is not true,” he argued. “All the teams who have come here have been happy. Some teams who didn’t qualify were calling us to ask how they could get in.”
Infantino acknowledged the absence of high-profile clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, and AC Milan but stressed the qualification process was fair and competitive.
“Of course, I would have liked to have Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Tottenham, AC Milan, Napoli… but you have to qualify and there are different criteria.”
The tournament’s future format remains undecided. When asked whether FIFA would consider staging it every two years or expanding it further, Infantino gave no definitive answer but indicated that the Club World Cup will remain a permanent fixture.
“We created something new, something which is here to stay, something which is changing the landscape of club football,” he said.
The final, set to take place this weekend, pits French champions Paris Saint Germain against English powerhouse Chelsea in what is expected to be the most-watched match of the competition.
Despite the divided opinions, FIFA appears resolute in its ambition to transform the Club World Cup into a global footballing spectacle one that could reshape the hierarchy of international club football in the years to come.
