Club World Cup set to kick off amid challenges

FIFA's billion-dollar gamble to revolutionize club soccer begins a week on Sunday with plenty of cash up for grabs but questionable enthusiasm as 32 teams prepare to contest the expanded Club World Cup in 12 stadiums across the United States.

The tournament — designed as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup — has had to contend with the prospect of empty seats along with controversial qualification rules and player welfare concerns after an exhausting European season.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami faces Egypt's Al Ahly in the opening fixture on June 14 in Miami, with tickets still widely available, while FIFA's website shows seats can still be bought for the July 13 final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

FIFA said it was normal policy not to reveal details of ticket sales ahead of a tournament but pointed to the fact that tickets have been sold to fans in more than 130 countries as evidence of the CWC's broad appeal.

Inter Miami controversially gained its slot by topping Major League Soccer's regular season standings, despite then losing in the first round of the playoffs, in a decision critics say showed FIFA's desperation to have the Argentina great at the showpiece.

Inter Miami was thus included as the host nation representative — instead of MLS champion LA Galaxy — with Los Angeles FC and Seattle Sounders making it three US teams after qualifying through their CONCACAF performances.

As well as the winners of each confederation's premier club competition, teams qualified according to a ranking based on their performances over a four-year period.

In another twist that went all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Club Leon, the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup winner, was eventually excluded from the tournament due to having shared ownership with another qualifier.

Right deal

Nailing down a last-gasp $1 billion TV rights deal with sports streaming platform DAZN six months before the tournament means a total of $2 billion in expected revenues.

That led FIFA to announce a total prize pot of $1 billion, with the winning club to receive up to $125 million.

FIFA said there is also an unprecedented solidarity investment program with a target of an extra $250 million provided to club soccer across the world and that all revenues from the tournament will be distributed to the club level.

That prize pot might look mouthwatering for club owners but for many players it will feel like a step too far after a long season and the European arm of players' union FIFPro and the European Leagues took legal action against FIFA over the issue.

In response, FIFA said it has "dozens of testimonies from players and coaches positively discussing the tournament" and said it was unfair to blame the CWC for calendar congestion.

"It is a competitive tournament that takes place once every four years with a maximum of seven matches only for the two teams who reach the final," a FIFA spokesman said.

FIFA has also given assurances that NFL stadiums hosting matches will meet their specifications, confirming all venues will feature natural grass and adhere to standard regulation dimensions following sub-par pitches at last season's Copa America.

Top contenders

Divided into eight groups of four teams, top contenders include Real Madrid, winner of six of the last 12 Champions League titles, plus German champion Bayern Munich and 2023 Premier League and Champions League winner Manchester City.

European champion Paris Saint Germain is the in-form team heading into the tournament after its historic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

But it must survive a tough Group B featuring South American and Brazilian champion Botafogo and 2024 CONCACAF winner Seattle Sounders plus Spanish giant Atletico Madrid.

Whether you call it soccer or football, for FIFA the tournament represents a dress rehearsal and a referendum on America's appetite for the sport and on the world governing body's vision for its commercial future ahead of the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

"It will usher in a new era for club football worldwide," FIFA said in a statement. "It will be the greatest, most inclusive and merit-based global club competition in history, bringing together the most successful club sides from every continent to decide the true world champion at club level."

Agencies Via Xinhua