The new FIFA Club World Cup ( US 2025), with 32 teams.

But the well being of the players.

A few bob and the clubs and players are cartwheeling towards it.

It's a non prestige tournament that will get over hyped and the impressionable fans will buy into it thinking it is worth something (outside of money).

The champions league already have all the best teams. This is just a diluted version of it
 
As an aside we get the world cup and the euros in even numbered years yes?

How is this any different as it is just another year with an extra tournament?

I'm not a fan of it by the way but if it replaces some of a club's pre-season friendlies then what's the difference?
 
The Cat said:
As an aside we get the world cup and the euros in even numbered years yes?

How is this any different as it is just another year with an extra tournament?

I'm not a fan of it by the way but if it replaces some of a club's pre-season friendlies then what's the difference?
Click to expand...
The champions league final is the 31st May, the WCC starts 15th June. So basically 2 weeks from when the season finishes then tournament starts and if you progress to the final it's the 13th July. The season starts 2nd week in August.

So basically either the clubs involved don't get a pre season of note or the players don't get a break.

Normally outside of national tournaments, the pre season would start around 10th July (give or take a couple of days)

It's just another money grab
 
WeePat said:
What’s MD1?

Yeah I can’t see a world where the European teams don’t treat as some kind of glorified preseason tournament, so a bunch of youth and fringe players getting a run out.
Click to expand...

Depends what FIFA will threaten with, i suppose. Their regulations state strongest teams. This is Infantinos precious tournament.
 
I’m interested.. Will try and get to some games. At best, some of the teams will be serious about this competition. At worst, it might replace some of the pre season friendly fixtures with a few of the youngsters getting a run about.
 
UnofficialDevil said:
Teams should just refuse to play in this tournament.
Click to expand...

A reported $100m for the winner and $60m base, tells me they will be more than happy to participate.

The problem here is the placing of the tournament. Season ends 25 May. This starts 15 June. So, three weeks. The players will likely get a week off, before they need to get back together to train for the tournament. Then if you gey to the final, you have around a month until the start of the season. How long do they have there? 10 days?

I think really, the leagues should give all participating clubs in this a week extra.
 
Why is Chelsea and Atletico in this and not Liverpool and Barca ?
I just don’t get how the teams have been chosen.
 
Lay said:
Pretty sure FIFA are demanding the first team to be played.
Click to expand...

I don't see how that's enforceable. How do you define "first team" ? If they point to the players who played the most the previous season, the club can always say that they're not in their plans now or something.
 
Redfrog said:
Why is Chelsea and Atletico in this and not Liverpool and Barca ?
I just don’t get how the teams have been chosen.
Click to expand...
My guess is that Liverpool and Barca declined the invitation because it’s a stupid tournament they will ruin their preseasons and put their players long term fitness in jeopardy.
 
Pexbo said:
My guess is that Liverpool and Barca declined the invitation because it’s a stupid tournament they will ruin their preseasons and put their players long term fitness in jeopardy.
Click to expand...
You have to have won the CL between 2021 and 2024 (Last 4 years) and then the next places go to highest ranked teams in UEFA coefficients with a maximum of two from any country. Barca lost out to Real who won the CL and Atletico who had a higher ranking after performing better in UEFA comps.

Liverpool didn’t win the CL in the last 4 years and lost out to Chelsea and City who had
 
They should have shifted it later so teams could treat it as a proper pre season tournament.

Of course teams would have started weak, but by the time the final came around teams would be up to speed and playing close to their full strength squad.

As it stands I can't see how any of the European sides can have a proper pre seasons with this in the way and what sort of teams they'll send.

They won't send all kids as it's a disrespect to the tournament and will make FIFA look silly, but anyone playing in this is going to start their preseason about a week or 2 before the new season.
 
Not really for it. But at the same time it’s in the back of my mind that the European Cup was once looked down upon. Who knows….this might fall flat or it might become the future of football in decades
 
JediSith said:
Not really for it. But at the same time it’s in the back of my mind that the European Cup was once looked down upon. Who knows….this might fall flat or it might become the future of football in decades
Click to expand...
They’ve done this exact thing before. We went to Brazil to play a tournament in 2000 and had to withdraw from the FA Cup. The reason this will fall flat is managers will prioritise the regular season and not take this seriously.
 
Offside said:
They’ve done this exact thing before. We went to Brazil to play a tournament in 2000 and had to withdraw from the FA Cup. The reason this will fall flat is managers will prioritise the regular season and not take this seriously.
Click to expand...
Rightly so, players aren’t robots
 
What was the qualification process? Why are Inter Miami representing the USA? Shouldn't it be Columbus? They are ranked #1 in Concacaf, and won the most recent Leagues Cup.
 
European fans will pretty much take zero interest in this but will be a success due to the global demand.

Happy for it to go ahead if United never took part, but it's inevitable we will be involved at some point.
 
Offside said:
They’ve done this exact thing before. We went to Brazil to play a tournament in 2000 and had to withdraw from the FA Cup. The reason this will fall flat is managers will prioritise the regular season and not take this seriously.
Click to expand...
I agree it was done before. But that was done mid season.

I think if a team like Real Madrid wins this and don’t shut up about it etc and it brings in extra marketing revenue then British clubs will start to take it seriously.

Tbf, if City or Chelsea win it and see a noticeable increase in their global appeal then that will also make others start to take it seriously.

It really is about how the global fan base, outside of Europe, takes to it. Imagine if it gets limited views in Europe just like preseason friendlies, but in South & North America, Africa, Asia etc gets tv views similar to major tournaments? Do we think English & European clubs will continue to take it lightly ?
 
RaddyRed said:
European fans will pretty much take zero interest in this but will be a success due to the global demand.

Happy for it to go ahead if United never took part, but it's inevitable we will be involved at some point.
Click to expand...
I very much hate the idea of this crap but also very much hope we play a part in it as it would mean we've had some on field success.
 
I'm curious how this is going to work in terms of preparation for the next season for the teams competing. Are these teams really willing to risk going into their new season cold against teams that have been playing competitively for 2 or 3 weeks already?
 
As we all know, FIFA’s motivation for this tournament is primarily greed, just as UEFA’s motivation for the UCL is mostly greed, and FA’s motivation for the FA Cup is greed etc. It’s mostly fans and quite a few players who are motivated by great football, traditions, honor and glory etc.

One thing I’m curious about, is how a Club WC is received in all the continenta other than Europa. As a European I used to cherish United getting the chance to play Estudiantes (loss), Necaxa (draw), South Melbourne (win), Vasco da Gama (loss), Palmeiras (win) and LD Quito (win). It seems to me many fellow Europeans are content with the existing European tournaments and have little appetite for football from other continents. One understandable reason of course is money and hegemony (primarily money) securing 90% of the worlds best footballers for the biggest European tournaments.

This strikes me as somewhat natural, yet also somewhat arrogant. Off course, as long as European football have the most of the money, our tournaments will feel like de facto World Championships. We have little to win. Still, the only way this could ever even out or change, is by use of money and power. So what do my Non-European colleagues think? Do you welcome an attempt to move the markers towards a future where Shandong Luneng, Boca Juniors, Mamelody Sundowns, New England Revolution and Man United fight for the WC as equal juggernauts of world football, or do you prefer it like it is today, with UEFA CL as the ‘real’ way to decide which is the best club in the world?
 
I hate it already, The saturation of football is killing the game
 
I like the idea but that scheduling is horrible for the participating European teams. Didn’t check the dates of the non-European leagues.
 
Dave Smith said:
A reported $100m for the winner and $60m base, tells me they will be more than happy to participate.

The problem here is the placing of the tournament. Season ends 25 May. This starts 15 June. So, three weeks. The players will likely get a week off, before they need to get back together to train for the tournament. Then if you gey to the final, you have around a month until the start of the season. How long do they have there? 10 days?

I think really, the leagues should give all participating clubs in this a week extra.
Click to expand...

You forget the national teams. Until June 11th the national teams can call their players... - and the Nations League final tournament is in that time - with the final being on June 8th...
 
I just realized the tournament is scheduled for June 15 to July 13.

Is FIFA a bit stupid? Does this mean that the players from the participating teams who transfer in the summer will leave again after half of the games? Those with expiring contracts are certainly easier, as you could then simply pay an extra month's salary.
 
Acrobat7 said:
I just realized the tournament is scheduled for June 15 to July 13.

Is FIFA a bit stupid? Does this mean that the players from the participating teams who transfer in the summer will leave again after half of the games? Those with expiring contracts are certainly easier, as you could then simply pay an extra month's salary.
Click to expand...

My gut feeling is European teams will treat it as a glorified preseason. So any players on the verge of transfers probably won’t be risked in any games, and teams won’t trot out their best players for 90 mins every game. Lots of youth and fringe players getting a run out. We all have the proper season to prepare for. Going full tilt in this tournament isn’t worth it imo.
 
WeePat said:
My gut feeling is European teams will treat it as a glorified preseason. So any players on the verge of transfers probably won’t be risked in any games, and teams won’t trot out their best players for 90 mins every game. Lots of youth and fringe players getting a run out. We all have the proper season to prepare for. Going full tilt in this tournament isn’t worth it imo.
Click to expand...
Well, the winning club gets 100m or something like that.
 
Acrobat7 said:
Well, the winning club gets 100m or something like that.
Click to expand...
Indeed.

Additionally, I think people under estimate how big this is for fans in South America, Asia and Africa. This tournament is seen as a really big deal, and the money on offer is CL level. So, clubs have quite a big incentive to do well.

European fans will not like it, but the clubs are going to be all over it. This will not only deliver big time for their coffers, but it will also give them massive brand exposure.

I hate the positioning of the tournament and I question whether it is needed. However, I see the potential of it and why all the clubs signed up gladly for it.
 
Acrobat7 said:
Well, the winning club gets 100m or something like that.
Click to expand...

A nice pot of money, but I don’t know how logistically clubs are supposed to get ready for the new season. Typically when there a World Cup or euros, preseason starts in the middle of the tournament for the players not selected, and those that did trickle back into preseason one by one after a little holiday. I think clubs will try but within reason.
 
Last edited:
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
But that's a little meaningless in the MLS isn't it? Columbus, or the winner of tomorrow's MLS Championship, would be a fairer representative.
Click to expand...
Yes it's meaningless and they just found a way to shoehorn them in because Messi.
Dave Smith said:
Indeed.

Additionally, I think people under estimate how big this is for fans in South America, Asia and Africa. This tournament is seen as a really big deal, and the money on offer is CL level. So, clubs have quite a big incentive to do well.

European fans will not like it, but the clubs are going to be all over it. This will not only deliver big time for their coffers, but it will also give them massive brand exposure.

I hate the positioning of the tournament and I question whether it is needed. However, I see the potential of it and why all the clubs signed up gladly for it.
Click to expand...
This is often used as some sort of silver bullet argument on here, but for this tournament, it's simply not true. You're also in that paragraph putting fans and clubs on the same level - I have no doubt most clubs will view it seriously, due to the prize money announced.

The fact it's still talked about in the conditional form 8 months out from the start is rather telling. It's a silly tournament that is just borne out of FIFA's greediness and jealousy of UEFA's CL product.
 
Dave Smith said:
Indeed.

Additionally, I think people under estimate how big this is for fans in South America, Asia and Africa. This tournament is seen as a really big deal, and the money on offer is CL level. So, clubs have quite a big incentive to do well.

European fans will not like it, but the clubs are going to be all over it. This will not only deliver big time for their coffers, but it will also give them massive brand exposure.

I hate the positioning of the tournament and I question whether it is needed. However, I see the potential of it and why all the clubs signed up gladly for it.
Click to expand...
I am with you. I like the idea but hate the scheduling.
The overlap of the tournament with the ‘financial years’ of the European clubs opens up yet more problems in terms of contracts.
 
UnofficialDevil said:
Teams should just refuse to play in this tournament.
Click to expand...
50 million dollars for turning up and playing and a whopping 100 million for winning the thing. Unless you're a state owned club, you're not walking away from that kind of money.
 
That's a lot of money for teams outside of Europe especially. Might be able to hold on to their best players for a little longer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.