NAIROBI, Kenya — FIFA President Gianni Infantino is calling it a win. A massive one. Speaking from none other than Trump Tower in New York City, Infantino proudly declared the newly expanded Club World Cup “the most successful club competition in the world”—and he’s got the numbers to back it up.
Never mind the scorching U.S. heat, widespread criticism from top-tier coaches like Jürgen Klopp, or matches that didn’t exactly pack stadiums to the rafters. According to Infantino, the first-ever 32-team edition of the tournament has already rewritten the rulebook.
“We heard that financially it would not work, that nobody is interested,” Infantino told reporters on Saturday. “But I can say we generated almost $2.1 billion in revenues for 63 matches. That makes an average of $33 million per match—no other club competition in the world comes close.”
That staggering revenue figure, he claims, positions the Club World Cup at the pinnacle of global football. And as for the pushback? Especially from Europe? Infantino’s not buying it.
“We shouldn’t say the opinion of Europe is very bad—because it’s not true,” he said, flanked by football legends including Brazil’s Ronaldo. “All the teams who came here have been happy.”
Of course, not everyone came. Klopp’s Liverpool, along with football royalty like Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, AC Milan, and Napoli, were conspicuously absent from the competition. But Infantino insists there’s growing interest, even from teams that didn’t qualify.
“Some teams who didn’t make it were calling us to find out how they could get in next time,” he said, hinting at just how desirable the competition is becoming.
The revamped Club World Cup—culminating in a Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea final—marks a bold pivot for FIFA, not just in format, but in ambition. Played in the searing American summer, it has been a logistical and physical test for elite players, raising questions about scheduling and athlete welfare.
Still, Infantino doubled down on the tournament’s staying power. “The golden age of club football has started,” he said, framing the competition as not just a spectacle, but a structural shift in global football.
He declined to confirm whether the next edition, scheduled for 2029, will run every two years or expand even further. But the message was loud and clear: FIFA isn’t just dipping its toe into expanded global club football—it’s diving in headfirst.
“We created something new, something which is here to stay, something which is changing the landscape of club football,” Infantino said, with the kind of confidence usually reserved for, well, announcing billion-dollar earnings.
So while critics like Klopp are still rolling their eyes, FIFA is already counting the cash—and planning the next stage.