Fifa’s Club World Cup To Take Place In Summer 2029 – And Not In Qatar

Fifa has told nan continental confederations that nan adjacent Club World Cup will return spot successful nan summertime of 2029 successful a move that would look to termination disconnected a projected bid from Qatar to big nan tournament. In different important development, Fifa has informed nan confederations that nan adjacent version is apt to characteristic much than nan 32 clubs that competed successful nan United States this summer.

The Guardian revealed successful June that Fifa was nether unit from starring clubs to grow nan Club World Cup to 48 teams, pinch nan lobbying intensifying since past month’s tournament, which resulted successful nan winners, Chelsea, receiving £85m from nan £750m prize and information fund. While Fifa is understood to person indicated that immoderate description is apt for 2029, an contiguous leap to nan 48-team exemplary that will beryllium utilized for nan first clip for nan men’s World Cup adjacent twelvemonth is not guaranteed.

The women’s World Cup is besides owed to grow to 48 teams successful 2031 aft 2 editions pinch 32 teams successful a clear denotation of Fifa’s guidance of travel.

Fifa is considering an replacement building for nan 2029 Club World Cup based connected a bid of qualifying playoffs nan week earlier nan main tournament, pinch nan winners advancing to nan competition. A azygous playoff crippled betwixt Los Angeles FC and nan Mexican broadside Club América to find nan last Club World Cup entrant from Concacaf was held aft nan expulsion of different Mexican club, León, for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

Although it was introduced astatine nan 11th-hour owed to León’s regulatory issues, Fifa viewed nan playoff arsenic a success. Senior figures person expressed nan position that a bid of knockout matches could make further buzz earlier nan tourney and astatine nan extremity of nan European season, arsenic good arsenic expanding nan worth of its TV rights. They were bought by Dazn for £750m this twelvemonth successful a woody funded by Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment.

Single-leg playoffs would create less player-welfare issues than almost doubling nan number of matches from 64 to 104, which would beryllium required if Fifa expanded from 32 to 48 clubs. Fifa is already facing a ineligible title from nan lobby group European Leagues and nan world players’ union, FifPro, while nan European Commission is yet to determine whether to motorboat a general investigation.

Fifa’s notification that nan 2029 tourney will return spot successful nan summertime whitethorn thief amended relations pinch European leagues, arsenic location had been concerns it would beryllium moved to nan pursuing wintertime if Qatar were granted hosting rights. Senior officials from Qatar held talks pinch Fifa successful Miami successful June astir bidding for nan tournament, but confirmation of nan timetable whitethorn put them off.

Spain and Morocco are now nan astir apt hosts earlier they thief co-host nan 2030 men’s World Cup. Portugal, nan 3rd big nation, has yet to definitive overmuch interest, but its smaller stadiums would beryllium suitable for a pre-qualifying tournament.

Fifa whitethorn yet move to staging nan Club World Cup each 2 years arsenic it appears wished to situation Uefa’s humanities power of world nine competitions, but that is not connected nan schedule until aft 2030, erstwhile nan existent world lucifer almanac expires.

Fifa declined to comment.