The expanded FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off in the United States this weekend, has stirred up significant controversy in the global football community, with implications that could span years for the sport.
This 32-team tournament, boasting a staggering one billion dollars in prize money, finds itself squeezed into an already congested schedule, raising concerns that it could push elite players beyond their limits.
Furthermore, it poses a risk to the equilibrium between domestic and continental club competitions, potentially providing competing teams with considerable financial advantages over their opponents.
Take, for instance, the leading clubs from Europe—twelve teams are making the journey, including Champions League victors Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
It’s highly probable that some of these clubs will advance far into the tournament, with a maximum of seven matches leading up to the final on July 13.
The financial rewards are phenomenal, with up to $125 million available for the highest-performing European team.
“The structure of the Club World Cup disrupts the ecosystem of national leagues, particularly in Europe,” remarked Javier Tebas, president of La Liga in Spain, during an interview with Cadena Cope.
While clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona will not feature in the US, missing out on the financial boon, they stand to benefit from allowing their players much-needed rest.
“I believe this will have a substantial impact, giving Liverpool and Arsenal a significant advantage next season by not participating,” commented England manager Thomas Tuchel when discussing the potential repercussions for the Premier League.
Extravagant rewards
The wealthiest clubs globally, already flush with resources, will benefit even more from FIFA’s financial splurge, but what of teams in other regions?
For clubs in South Africa, challenging Mamelodi Sundowns will become more difficult as they leave with a guaranteed minimum of nearly $10 million—equivalent to the prize money for winning nine domestic titles.
Auckland City dominate in Oceania and are set to receive a staggering $3.5 million merely for their participation.
However, while participation might be the pinnacle of their players’ careers, it only adds to the pressures faced by those at the summit of the sport.
The introduction of this new competition has faced resistance in Europe, with global players’ union FIFPro cautioning that the wellbeing of many of its members is jeopardised by the overwhelming demands placed upon them.
Is the workload too high?
Portuguese midfielder Vitinha has already played 52 matches for PSG this season, including their Champions League final victory over Inter Milan on May 31.
He has added eight appearances for Portugal, including matches in the Nations League finals last week. Now he is heading to the United States with PSG, possibly without a break until mid-July.
The next season in France is scheduled to commence in mid-August, coinciding with the starts of both the Premier League and La Liga.
At the close of the upcoming season, Vitinha might once again find himself in North America as part of Portugal’s squad for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
The heavy demands placed on top players prompted European player unions last year to threaten strike action to address the overwhelming number of matches.
“The issue lies in the series of excessively demanding and lengthy seasons that keep stacking up,” explained Maheta Molango, chief executive of England’s Professional Footballers’ Association.
“Players are not only concerned about summer breaks; they are thinking about how they won’t have a holiday for the foreseeable future.“
In the meantime, domestic leagues are questioning why they should alter their schedules to accommodate FIFA’s new tournament.
“International organisations, and particularly FIFA, have increased the number of matches organized, leading to a calendar that is on the verge of saturation,” stated Mathieu Moreuil from the Premier League.
Other tournaments, such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup, are being diminished as the Club World Cup takes place concurrently in the United States.
USA coach Mauricio Pochettino is unable to field prominent players like Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, as they are competing in the Club World Cup with Juventus.
“This is the situation we’re faced with and we must adapt,” remarked Pochettino, the former PSG manager who may not share the enthusiasm of current PSG head coach Luis Enrique.
“I consider it to be an incredible competition,” he stated while looking forward to the Club World Cup.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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