Why the Club World Cup project is failing in the United States
Criticism from leagues, the lack of stars, lack of interest, and the Trump scandal are making it difficult for the new tournament to take off.
The Club World Cup has received barely any attention on major American television networks. There’s been little advertising overall, aside from some promotion near key stadiums. Miami—set to host the opening match this Saturday between Inter Miami and Al Ahly—is doing its best to mobilize local interest, though the city seems far more focused on other matters than the tournament.
This is the reality of a competition that, despite FIFA’s repeated efforts to legitimize and normalize it, has faced significant resistance from the start. Chief among the critics are the leagues and the players themselves. The European Leagues, LaLiga (led by Javier Tebas), and FIFPRO (the global players’ union) have consistently opposed the project.
Even Ballon d’Or winner Rodrigo Hernández has floated the possibility of a strike if scheduling issues aren’t addressed. Rather than resolving these concerns, FIFA has made matters worse by expanding the tournament to 32 clubs. In exchange, however, it offers participants large financial incentives—enough to win the approval of nearly everyone, including the European Club Association (ECA).
Still, the tournament’s first edition is surrounded by uncertainty and controversy. For one, it’s a “World Cup” lacking many top-tier stars. Mohamed Salah won’t be there. Neither will Cristiano Ronaldo. And most notably, Lamine Yamal—considered a serious Ballon d’Or contender—won’t participate either.
The qualification process is also puzzling. Although 12 European clubs—supposedly the best in the world—are included, the system considers results from the previous four years and limits countries to just two representatives. This makes recent success almost irrelevant. As a result, current champions of La Liga (Barcelona), the Premier League (Liverpool), and Serie A (Napoli) have all been left out. A baffling decision.
Other major clubs like Arsenal and AC Milan are also missing. Perhaps that’s why, according to The Guardian, FIFA is already considering expanding the tournament again for 2029—even though the inaugural 2025 edition hasn’t kicked off yet.
Ticket sales have been underwhelming. Initially, prices were exorbitant, but they’ve since dropped by nearly 80% for most matches. Given the massive stadium capacities, filling seats is proving difficult. Only Real Madrid has managed to generate significant excitement. Tickets remain available for nearly every other match—a rare sight for a tournament of this magnitude.
And there’s more. The recent riots in Los Angeles have affected one of the tournament venues, where Atlético Madrid and PSG are set to face off. This is no small issue. Amid growing social unrest, the involvement of Donald Trump—an early and vocal supporter of FIFA President Gianni Infantino—adds further complexity.
While Trump is expected to participate in key ceremonial events during the tournament, this hardly seems like the ideal moment to spotlight the United States as a welcoming host for a global sporting event—especially given its current climate of aggressive tariff policies and restrictive immigration stances.
The World Cup of controversies has already arrived. Until the ball starts rolling, everything remains hazy—a cloud of confusion and conflict.
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