FIFA 2022
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expands Club World Cup to 32 teams in 2025 – ‘Making it like the current World Cup’
Bayern Munich are the current FIFA Club World Cup title holder.
After the failure of the proposed ‘Super League’ FIFA President Gianni Infantino has come out and announced a new look FIFA World Cup win 32 teams.
Infantino said: “The new men’s Club World Cup will take place in 2025 and will feature 32 teams. The 32-team tournament will go ahead, making it like the current World Cup.” Infantino also spoke of the changes that would need to be made following FIFA World Cup 2022’s success.
‘I have to say after this World Cup, and the success of the groups of four, we have to revisit or rediscuss the format whether we go for 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four,’ he said.
Argentina and France have currently reached the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The ongoing tournament has been a huge success drawing record viewership throughout the world.
This process should involve meaningful agreements- Premier League chief executive
FIFA however would still need approval from Premier League clubs as they unanimously opposed any reform to the tournament.
Richard Masters, Premier League chief executive, said: “The Premier League is committed to preventing any radical changes to the post-2024 FIFA International Match Calendar that would adversely affect player welfare and threaten the competitiveness, calendar, structures and traditions of domestic football.
“We are open to reforms and new ideas, but they must enhance the complementary balance between domestic and international football in order to improve the game at all levels. “This process should also involve meaningful agreements with the leagues that provide the foundations for the game.”
The current FIFA Club World Cup began in 2000 with the Brazilian club Corinthians winning the inaugural season. Since then Spanish club Real Madrid have won it on four occasions while their arch-rivals Barcelona have won it thrice. German clubs Bayern Munich are the current title holders who took over the trophy from 2019 winners Chelsea.
