Infantino's passion project: What you need to know about the FIFA Club World Cup

Just one week after the end of the UEFA Nations League, the next international football tournament is on the agenda: on June 14, the FIFA- organized Club World Cup begins in a new format: with more teams and longer than ever before.

Why is there a new Club World Cup?

"It will be like a World Cup," enthused FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the end of 2022, when he announced during the World Cup in Qatar that there would be a greatly expanded Club World Cup with 32 teams starting in 2025. So far, only seven teams have participated: the six winners of the continental club championships and one club from the host country.

The competition in its new format is considered a matter close to Infantino's heart, who primarily hopes it will generate increased revenue. Back in 2016, the year he was elected FIFA president, he suggested increasing the number of participants in the current Club World Cup. In 2019, the FIFA Council followed the suggestion.

The "new" Club World Cup will be held every four years starting in 2025. In the intervening years, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup will be played – following the old Club World Cup format. Starting in 2026, there will also be a Women's Club World Cup for the first time.

What are the key facts about the tournament in the USA?

The Club World Cup in the United States begins with a group stage, in which four teams compete in eight groups. The top two teams in each group qualify for the round of 16. This round, including the final, will be played in a knockout format.

This means that if the matches are tied after 90 minutes, there will be two periods of extra time of 15 minutes. If the match is still tied, a penalty shootout will follow. Unlike the World Cup for national teams, there will be no "small final" for third place.

The tournament will be played in twelve stadiums, ten of which are located in the eastern United States. The exceptions are Los Angeles and Seattle. The tournament begins on Saturday, June 14, in Miami with the first match of Group A between the winners of the African Champions League, Al Ahly FC of Egypt, and US club Inter Miami CF, where Argentine superstar Lionel Messi also earns his living. The final will take place on July 13 in New York.

Who is playing in the Club World Cup?

The European Football Association (UEFA) has the largest number of participants, with twelve teams. The last four Champions League winners and the eight best teams of the past four years are represented. From Germany, FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund qualified via the rankings.

South America is represented by six teams. The continental associations from Asia, Africa, North and Central America, and the Caribbean each field four teams, while Oceania, with New Zealand club Auckland City, has just one team.

How much money is at stake in the Club World Cup?

In its 2024 financial report, FIFA expects revenue of two billion US dollars from the Club World Cup in the USA. Of this, a total of one billion dollars will go to the participating clubs. FIFA will pay out just over half of this (525 million) as entry fees – although this is not evenly distributed among all.

Some UEFA clubs earn the most: According to a special ranking that combines the sporting and commercial value of the clubs, the entry fees per European club fluctuate between $12.8 million and $38.2 million. According to CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen , German champions FC Bayern Munich receive around $30 million. Auckland brings in the bottom of the entry fee list with just under $3.6 million.

A total of $475 million will be distributed in performance bonuses: for wins and draws in the group stage, for winning the group, and for advancing to the respective knockout rounds. The tournament winner receives a victory bonus of $40 million, while the other finalist receives $30 million. The Club World Cup winner—if they come from Europe—can take home more than $125 million.

What is the response to the new Club World Cup?

Opinions differ. On the one hand, there are the participating clubs, who are delighted with the generous financial windfall from the tournament and are putting their concerns aside. On the other hand, there are many critics who point to the already far too tight football schedule. They argue that the additional four-week tournament will give the professionals even less time to recover, further increasing the risk of injury. "The Club World Cup is a brutal strain," said national coach Julian Nagelsmann .

The FC Bayern and BVB internationals will travel to the USA with their clubs just a few days after the end of the Nations League Final Four tournament (June 8). If their club reaches the final on July 13, there will be just under six weeks until the start of the new Bundesliga season on August 22.

Another point of criticism is the scheduling conflict with other international football tournaments. During the Club World Cup, the Gold Cup (June 14 to July 6), the continental championship for the national teams of North and Central America and the Caribbean, will also be played in the USA and Canada. FIFA has exempted the clubs participating in the Club World Cup from the otherwise usual requirement to release players to the national teams.

The Club World Cup could also distract football fans from the parallel first phase of the Women's European Championship in Switzerland (July 2-27).

How do fans react to the new competition?

Ticket sales have been slow so far. Thousands of tickets are still available for the opening match in Miami. FIFA has since drastically reduced ticket prices for the match to prevent images of empty stands. There are even still plenty of tickets available for the final. No wonder: The cheapest ticket costs $766.

The restrictive immigration policy of President Donald Trump 's administration is also likely to deter many foreign fans from attending the Club World Cup in the USA. The current protests against Trump in Los Angeles , one of the host cities, are also unlikely to deter anyone from traveling to the Club World Cup on short notice.