Featuring stars from Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and more, the Club World Cup will impact U.S. soccer landscape
There was bemused bafflement when FIFA president Gianni Infantino stepped onto the stage at the Global Citizen Music Festival in Central Park at the end of September. After all, 60,000 people in a field were waiting to see Post Malone. What was this business-suited global soccer executive doing at a music event that was dedicated to climate change awareness?
Infantino's appearance was brief, and he spent exactly 84 seconds of it – alongside a seemingly confused DJ Khaled – announcing the venues for the 2025 Club World Cup – 11 cities, 12 stadiums, 32 teams, one month of soccer, all in the United States.
It was a strange venue to reveal this thing, among a field full of drunk partygoers in New York City. But maybe that's the point.
Those who already know about soccer, and its impact and zealous following around the world, are going to get all of this information organically. Part of the strategy of this Club World Cup, and the country that hosts it, is about spreading awareness. America is the next frontier, the unsaturated soccer market, in relative terms.
And that's the broader point. The Club World Cup has, and will continue to have, its critics in some circles. But now the draw is complete. And in the global landscape of soccer, with the interest of the growth of the game – and make no mistake, the financial opportunities that come with that – at the forefront, it is the kind of event that Americans should absolutely care about.
Getty ImagesAccessibility to the game
First, the diehards. Soccer fans exist everywhere. In America, it seems that they multiply by the day. But the accessibility of the sport remains frighteningly limited. Whether it be the financial constraints on youth soccer, or the literal geographic distance from the highest level of the game, consuming quality soccer isn't easy. MLS, of course, is always improving.
But NFL, MLB, NHL and the NBA – not to mention the biggest conferences in American college football and basketball – are all the marquee leagues in the global landscape of their respective sports. To find the most watchable professional game, for example, a New York resident simply has to go a Yankees or Knicks game (it's probably best to avoid the Jets and Giants, at the moment.)
But for soccer, that isn't the case. The Red Bulls may be playing in MLS Cup this weekend, but European leagues simply have better talent and competition (Opta's relative quality index, released in October, had MLS as the 9th best competition in the world.) So, if that same fan, casual or avid, has a similar desire for soccer, it's a much harder assignment. There are flights, hotels and expenses involved. The best level of the game worldwide is thousands of miles away.
Not for a month in the middle of the summer in 2025, however. The Club World Cup will transplant those players in the United States. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern Munich, and many, many others will be participating in the Club World Cup. Top level soccer hasn't been this accessible in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup – and even then interest was relatively limited.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMore than just friendlies
Live iterations the sport's best have existed in America before, of course. David Beckham's move to MLS in 2007 started a trickle of stars to the States – albeit most past their prime years. European clubs have embarked on preseason tours of the U.S. for almost 20 years, realizing the potential for revenue opportunities and building fan bases in a lucrative market. The last two summers have featured Clasicos played in sold out NFL stadiums. Go to those, and the atmosphere feels as authentic as any European stadium might.
But the difference is what happens on the pitch. Those games are essentially exhibition matches, and despite the drinking before the first whistle, noise during the game, and mass exodus after, the buzz of competitive sport is missing. Sure, the top players are present – Vinicius Jr lit up MetLife Stadium in 20 scintillating minutes last July – yet there is a sense that the whole thing is about stretching some legs, signing autographs and increasing followers.
There is nothing wrong with good press and new fans. But if competitive soccer is the goal, then summer friendlies are inherently limited; there's nothing on the line. Now, though, the Club World Cup offers something different. There are incentives, financial and material. A cool trophy will be presented to the winner, while FIFA has promised handsome rewards for doing so. Take the normal revenue of a preseason tour, and all of its trimmings, throw in a trophy that counts, and there's a reason to be fired up.
Getty ImagesGlobal stars
Last June, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti alluded to the idea that his team might not play in the Club World Cup. It was quickly rescinded, Ancelotti praising the competition as a good opportunity for world football. It was subsequently reported that clubs would be fined if they refused to feature the biggest names. Now, it may not be the ideal circumstance to bring about extra competition – especially if it comes from a place of the desire to avoid serious punishment.
But the result remains the same. These will not be friendlies in which the likes of Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe get brief run outs – or so we are told. Rather, from minute one, or at least for significant chunks of the game, the guys that sell the shirts and make end of year awards lists will be expected to play. That can only be considered a good thing – especially for fans of clubs who otherwise wouldn't see their favorites.
Even MLS fans will have touchpoints here. There is more to this league than just Lionel Messi – though he and Inter Miami will be competing. The Seattle Sounders, for example, have a wonderful following – and could make an impact.
USA Today Sports Growth and authenticity
That's the broader fight within American soccer in the States. MLS has existed for less than 30 years. Genuine interest in the game – in the broader sporting consciousness – is an even more recent commodity. Soccer uniquely values the specific culture around it. There is an outwardly European snobbery about this thing, at least outside this country. As a sporting culture, it is very reluctant to change.
There is outward vitriol around sponsorship money, rising ticket prices and corporate investment. In a sense, they're right. Top European clubs are all built from small beginnings and have histories that stretch back more than 100 years. Alienating core fans is bad PR. But it's what the kids call "gatekeeping."
Soccer simply cannot exist in the same way in every country. America cannot replicate or mimic the European game, including its deep-rooted history. What it needs, more than anything, is time, and its own touchpoints and landmark events to grow. The 1994 World Cup is the perfect example – the real genesis of the sport in the country. The women's team winning the World Cup in 1999 is the second. The arrival of Beckham at MLS's LA Galaxy in 2007 is another. Messi's transfer to Inter Miami last year is another.
And, of course, the 2026 World Cup will be the biggest – making this Club World Cup the valuable bit in the middle.
The European eye might see this whole thing as a betrayal of some of the fundamentals of the game. But for the U.S., it could be a valuable, authentic touchpoint – even if it can seem revenue-focused, and runs counter to some of the fundamental principles at play.