For the vast majority of worldwide football fans, Gianni Infantino’s obsession with the expanded Club World Cup tournament this summer has simply served to turn the ‘Beautiful Game’ into an absolute laughing stock, and whatever reputation FIFA had left, probably no longer exists.
As a reaction to the closed shop that was the European Super League idea a few years back, involved clubs quickly bailed on the idea when fans took a stand knowing that merit and integrity was key to the ambitions and hopes of every football fan around the world. But to counter the interest, and probably sensing an idea for Infantino to boost his own profile when it came to some clubs, it was inevitable that FIFA (and UEFA with their own expanded European competitions) would do something to please those they wanted to please.
So here we are. A competition that is already inherently financially biased against the non well established European big hitters purely for being there and a competition weighted towards those big hitters when it comes to relevant prize money, and let us not forget, that prize money could take some sides total revenue to the princely sum of £97 million (if the exchange rates are favourable).
Many consider the English Premier League to be the richest European division and to put that potential £97 million into context, in the 2023/24 PL campaign Sheffield United picked up £109.7 million for finishing in dead last place in the table. A worst case £110 million for an entire season, or £97 million for a glorified post season friendly jolly?
Or maybe you prefer the comparison with Paris Saint-Germain and their successful Champions League trophy lift last season, their 17 CL matches to the final is believed to have been worth £95 million.
The best sides in football always make the most money and because of that they hold a merit advantage, fans accept that. But where is the merit and the sporting integrity of effectively gifting the same few sides tens of millions and the advantage that grants them, just for being involved?
The Club World Cup problems do not end there. We had a self serving mini transfer window with huge sums being paid simply to have targets in 30 days earlier than is normal, we have had teachers, students and estate agents lining up against some of Europe’s biggest, best and most well paid superstars, stadiums have largely been half empty and at least one game had a two hour weather delay and I have not even mentioned the playing conditions and the state of some of the United States pitches.
But whatever laughable issues the pitch brings, fans will not forget what they believe to be the real motivation here…giants steps taken towards protecting the status quo, and the creation of a closed shop that further destroys meritocracy and sporting integrity and the true ethos of the game we all love.