FOOTBALL – THE richest clubs in world football have for years argued that there are too many games played while making various attempts to create a restricted network of top teams enabling them to play each other (without relegation), beyond national borders, on a more regular basis, writes Abu George.
This is in addition to the duplicity of clubs arranging commercially-driven globe-trotting tours both at the culmination of domestic leagues and also for pre-season.
Players’ unions have also warned about playerburn out and produced statistics highlighting growing injury lists that, despite upgrades in medical recovery, keep stars away from the turf for longer.
Yet $1 billion in prize money for a competition lasting one month appears to have changed opinions!
The Fifa Club World Cup was first played in 2000 although got off to a rocky start and has recently included only seven teams after it was revitalised in 2005; the top side from each continent plus one for the host nation.
The competition has been expanded this year to 32 teams with Europe having the highest number of representatives at 12 teams followed by six from South America and four from the Concacaf region, expanded to five to allow Inter Miami and, therefore Lionel Messi, to play as hosts.
The Asian Football Confederation, including Saudi’s powerhouse, Al Hilal, also has four representatives.
Only a year ago Real Madrid were refusing to participate with manager Carlo Ancelotti complaining that $20m was insufficient. However when the totals were announced in March this year the sums were far more substantial.
Thanks to a landmark broadcasting deal with online streaming service, DAZN, that has allowed the funds available to increase from the 2023 level of only $16m. Dazn, acquired shortly after the streaming rights were agreed by Saudi company Surj Sports, will show all 63 matches free on its platform.
The $1bn is split into a participation pool which is allocated according to continental affiliation with a further fund of $425m paid out based on success.
If you are a European club there is a scale depending on a variety of criteria with the bigger clubs paid higher amounts ranging from $13m - $39m, South American clubs receive a standardised $15m while most others receive just under $10m, which for some clubs in Asia and Africa could future-proof their structure for generations. The sole club from Oceania, Auckland City, is the poor-relation receiving just under $4m.
Group stage wins will secure an additional $2m while simply reaching the next stage generates a further $8m. ‘
Both finalists will receive a minimum $30m while the winners net an additional $10m.
If one of the leading European clubs secures the trophy (which they have every year for the last 11 years) the month-long trip to the US could net a cool $125m.
This is more than the $100m Paris St Germain secured for winning the Champions League although Uefa distributed a massive $2.7bn across all participating clubs.
English clubs, for so long disinterested in this competition, appear to have sharpened their focus!
There is a complete mismatch in finances which explains the European dominance in historically securing the title. Recent Copa Libertadores winners, Botafago, secured $31m which included $23m for beating Atletico Miniero in the final.
Real Madrid, current holders after beating Pachuca 3-0 in Qatar in December, and Barcelona hold the most titles (five and three respectively), although the latter (along with runaway English title winners, Liverpool) are not present, which is perhaps why Fifa are already being lobbied to expand the next edition to 48 teams with Europe presumably being given the lion’s share of the additional places.
Under the Uefa past-success co-efficient to qualify, Barcelona were outranked by Atletico Madrid while Liverpool, despite being the most successful club in English history, have not claimed the Champions League as recently as Manchester City and Chelsea, meaning it is these two clubs present.
Just weeks after the end of domestic seasons, clubs have been racing against the clock to sign new talent. Fifa introduced an exceptional transfer window from 1st to 10th June to allow clubs the chance to bolster squads. Enriched by the substantial prize money available, clubs will be able to add further talent after June 16.
Chelsea have been busy signing cheques (again) and have already secured four new signatures. Intriguingly they have been embroiled in a battle with Borussia Dortmund to sign Jamie Gittens. He could therefore be registered to play against the English team later in the tournament, although as neither side starts until June 17, a deal could still be done!
Manchester City, Real Madrid and Inter have also notably added to their ranks while Al Hilal have been attempting to make short-term signings. South American clubs have simply been trying to hang on to their talent while European ‘vultures’ hover over their prized assets.
The tournament commenced this morning (3am Bahrain time) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami with the final to be hosted in New Jersey on July 13.
In total 63 matches will be held across 12 stadia that include the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, LA; originally opened in 1922 it is the largest of the tournament hosting nearly 89,000 spectators. It is one of several that will also host matches when the Fifa World Cup returns to the US next year.
At the other end of the spectrum is Audi Field, home to the MLS’s DC United and NWSL’s Washington Spirit. Open in 2018, as a soccer stadium it only hosts 20,000.
In between there are a variety of other soccer stadia, such as FC Cincinatti’s home which was voted Best Venue in 2022 by the World Football Summitt. The TQL Stadium also won the Prix Versailles prize in recognition of its design and construction.
Several NFL stadia will also be used including the home to the Atlanta Falcons which is notable for its retractable roof and 360 degree halo video display meaning every one of the 75,000 fans can see all the action.
It might be difficult to predict strategies for a number of the teams as they have switched managers ahead of the competition. This is, therefore, an early ‘get to know you’ opportunity when players would normally be heading off for secluded beaches to rest.
After the final match has been played it will be interesting to see the different strategies adopted by teams ahead of the recommencement of their domestic seasons. Ironically, while countries have a capitation of two clubs participating, the same is not true of managers. Argentina will have six citizens managing clubs while Portugal has four.
PSG, fresh from their demolition of Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League, enter the competition as hot favourites.
Luis Enrique’s young team produced sublime football to unlock the Italian defence to produce an historic 5-0 scoreline, enabling their ‘Ultras’ to unfurl a giant tifo reading “Ensemble, Nous Sommes Invincible” (Together, We Are Invincible).
Nineteen-year-old Doue became only the third teenager to score in a final and then become the youngest to net a double when he grabbed a second.
Even after he was substituted Kvaratskhelia and Mayulu were able to emphasise the difference.
Only Aston Villa made PSG nervous in the knock out stages.
Tournament competition can require a completely different mindset and approach to a league or home and away competition played out over the season.
While Opta has crunched some numbers and predicted Manchester City as second favourites, despite being bolstered by new signings to refresh an aging squad, their inconsistency over the course of last season suggests they will need a major turnaround to secure the title, although a slow build-up of easier games may allow the new signings to bed in.
Given the nature of their defeat in the Champions League Final it is difficult to see Inter being crowned champions although they should make it to the later stages, although they are under new management with Christian Chivu, the former Romanian international who lifted three titles with Inter as a player, was appointed days after the final when Simone Inzaghi left for Al Hilal.
Real Madrid should pose an increased threat with the fresh ideas of Xabi Alonso at the helm. One of his major tasks will be to harmonise the play between European golden boot winner, Kylian Mbappe (who is apparently not upset that PSG won the Champions League the year after he left), and Brazilian starlet, Vinicius Junior.
Alonso famously guided Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title without losing a game.
Sir Alex Ferguson once said “attack wins matches, defence wins titles”. Alonso eschews this philosophy as evidenced by his team, dubbed ‘Neverlusen’, conceding only 24 times in 34 matches.
He will certainly have players at his disposal comfortable in retaining the ball in defence while breaking at pace and creating overloads around the pitch.
Real has been bolstered at the back by the early release of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen.
Harry Kane, the only other player in the European golden boot top five to be present in the US, will lead the line for Bayern Munich.
Of the eight groups the proverbial ‘Group of Death’ appears to be Group B which incorporates PSG, Atletico Madrid and Botafogo although it is difficult to see past the leading European and South American clubs or Pachuca from Liga MX.
It will also be interesting to see how the Saudi Pro League ‘Galacticos’ of Neves, Mitrovic and Koulibaly fare in the group stages against some of the favourites. Joao Cancelo, who will line up for them, has played for six of the teams in the competition.
On July 13 at the Metlife Stadium in New York I hope to see a PSG Final against Real Madrid who should make their way through the easier half of the draw. When the final whistle blows I hope to see Luis Enrique plant another flag for his daughter to commemorate another victory to be crowned world champions.
Perhaps, given that it is being hosted in the US, we should refer to it as the ‘big, beautiful, soccer world title decider, no question’.
&uuid=(email))