🧷 TL;DR – Three Key Points
- What is the Club World Cup? FIFA’s $1bn tournament held in the US is a bloated, billionaire-backed tournament with little fan appetite.
- Ticket sales are dire, players are burnt out, and most clubs view it as pointless calendar clutter.
- It reinforces European dominance rather than creating ‘global football solidarity’, exposing the tournament’s hollow ambition.
🏟️ What Is the Club World Cup 2025?
FIFA’s new Club World Cup kicks off in June 2025 in the United States. Think: World Cup format, but for clubs. It’s set to feature 32 teams, run for a month, and boast $1.25 billion in funding — much of it linked to Saudi Arabia.
IN FULL: Read a PlanetWSL report on the Club World Cup
Fast Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Host Country | United States 🇺🇸 |
| Dates | June–July 2025 |
| Teams | 32 (top global clubs incl. Chelsea, Man City) |
| Prize Pot | $1bn+ (including $125m for winners) |
| Saudi Arabia Link | Financing + future 2034 World Cup host |
📉 Why It’s Already Failing
🪑 Empty Seats, Slashed Prices
- Less than a third of tickets sold for the opening match (featuring Messi’s Inter Miami).
- FIFA quietly reduced prices just days before kick-off — a bad omen for a so-called “pinnacle” of club football.
🌐 Political Problems
- Trump’s new travel bans have made it harder for international fans to attend.
- Global tension and US domestic politics are keeping football tourists away.
⏰ No Room on the Fixture List
- Players are exhausted. The Champions League final ended May 31, this kicks off just two weeks later.
- Clubs like Man City and Chelsea already play 60+ games a season — this adds 5–7 more.
🤝 FIFA vs UEFA: Power Struggle in Plain Sight
FIFA wants this tournament to rival the Champions League. But here’s the catch: all the most powerful clubs are in Europe — and they’re already playing in the real elite competition.
| Organisation | Strength |
|---|---|
| FIFA | Owns international football (World Cup) |
| UEFA | Dominates club football (Champions League) |
So what’s the Club World Cup really about? A power grab. And money.
“Football solidarity” is the PR line. “Billionaire interest” is the reality.
💣 A History of Flops
This isn’t FIFA’s first attempt:
- 1960–2004: Intercontinental Cup (UEFA vs CONMEBOL) – barely noticed outside South America.
- 2000–2004: Club World Championship – cancelled for lack of funds.
- 2006–2023: Slimmed-down annual version won mostly by Europeans.
- 2025: FIFA’s final push — but fans still aren’t biting.
📺 Most viewers will watch it on free TV, but few see it as anything more than a glorified pre-season tour.
🧱 The Fan Verdict
Football is a working-class sport. This tournament is everything that concerns fans.
| What We Love 💙 | What We Get Here ❌ |
|---|---|
| Rivals, roots, and real meaning | Forced matchups for media optics |
| Local pride, proper away days | $500 flights to watch Chelsea in Miami |
| Loyalty and history | Corporate sugar-rush distractions |
It’s not for fans. It’s for brands, broadcasters and billionaires.
This shows where FIFA’s priorities lie: glamour, not grassroots.
🚩 What Happens Next?
- The Club World Cup will likely survive its debut — on paper.
- But unless fans genuinely care, this will become just another bloated FIFA event.
- Expect pushback from Premier League and WSL fans who already feel their clubs are being sold to the highest bidder.
📎 Full-Time Source Check
- 📚 Dismal ticket sales, club grumbles and FIFA’s doomed dream – The Conversation
- 📚 Club World Cup is already a shit show – and it’s only just begun – PlanetWSL
🎨 Visual Grid: Why This Tournament Misses the Mark
| Reason Fans Are Switching Off | Underlying Issue |
|---|---|
| Poor ticket sales | US not a club football nation |
| Fixture congestion | Clubs and players overstretched |
| Lack of connection | No historical rivalries |
| Political barriers | Travel bans, visa issues |
| European dominance likely | No sporting jeopardy or surprise |