FIFA forces pace on $25B Club World Cup

FIFA is forcing the pace on talks over a USD 25 billion offer to revamp the Club World Cup and create a global national team competition.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seeking an urgent meeting in the next week with leaders of the six continental governing bodies, following his hosting of invited officials from some of Europe’s top clubs. That session was held last Friday, the world soccer body said on Monday.

The European Club Association has strongly opposed FIFA’s hope for a four-yearly club tournament starting in 2021, which could rival the UEFA-organized Champions League.

UEFA has also been sceptical of the Club World Cup expansion plan, and last year also proposed a Global Nations League to develop from its European version which kicks off in September.

However, a similar worldwide project is tied into the FIFA-controlled USD 25 billion, 12-year offer from a Japanese-led consortium including investors from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

FIFA said it was holding “informal ongoing discussions with different stakeholders on the topic of the future Club World Cups.”

Though FIFA published a statement last Friday after hosting agents to discuss transfer market reforms, a separate meeting also in Zurich with a select group of clubs was not announced in advance nor details given after.

Infantino is set to meet “in the near future” with the presidents and general secretaries of the six continental confederations, FIFA said.

They include UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who has publicly doubted that a proposed 24-team Club World Cup could start in 2021.