Club World Cup

FIFA is reportedly plotting a seismic shake-up for the Club World Cup, with The Guardian revealing discussions to shift the tournament to every two years post-2029 and potentially expand it to a massive 48 teams. Fresh off the success of the 32-team 2025 edition in the US, where Chelsea clinched the £85m prize, these bold moves could redefine global football, or spark chaos. Here’s the latest:

Biennial Format on the Horizon

  • FIFA is eyeing a biennial cycle starting in 2031, scrapping the quadrennial plan agreed with the European Clubs Association in 2023. The push came from heavyweights like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and Liverpool during Miami talks in June 2025, frustrated by missing the 2025 tournament.
  • To ease the strain on players, FIFA might axe the June international window, though UEFA’s Nations League finals could complicate this.1 The 2027 slot is off the table due to a locked calendar until 2030.

Massive 48-Team Expansion

  • A 48-team format is under consideration for 2029, mirroring the 2026 men’s and 2031 women’s World Cups. A pre-tournament playoff could trim qualifiers to 32 for the finals.
  • Qualification rules might loosen, potentially lifting the two-clubs-per-country cap. This could mean three Premier League teams instead of two, with only Paris Saint-Germain (2025 Champions League winners) currently secured from Europe.

Hosting Drama and Timeline

  • The 2029 tournament is set for summer (June/July), with Spain and Morocco (2030 World Cup co-hosts) leading the hosting race, possibly alongside Portugal. Qatar’s winter bid was shelved to avoid clashing with European leagues.
  • A formal bidding process starts later this year, unlike the US’s direct 2025 award.

Fan and Player Backlash

FIFA President Gianni Infantino touts “globalization” of the calendar, eyeing October/March windows for flexibility. But X posts today are ablaze with skepticism, slamming the plan as a “money grab” and citing player burnout risks. Reddit threads from August called it “over-saturation,” with fans joking about robots replacing players or demanding flight-hour caps for stars.

The 2025 tournament’s £750m prize pool and South American fan surge proved its potential, but this escalation could ignite tensions with UEFA and fuel EU probes into FIFA’s calendar grip.