The revamped FIFA Club World Cup has drawn plenty of headlines – but not for the right reasons. While FIFA President Gianni Infantino parades around stadiums with a smile, basking in the glow of a tournament he claims is a success, questions continue to mount over what this competition really represents. For many, it looks less like a celebration of global football and more like a calculated play to hand power to Saudi Arabia.
At the heart of it all lies a familiar formula: money talks, and Saudi Arabia is shouting the loudest.
A Tournament Built on Sand?
The Club World Cup 2025 has failed to capture the imagination of Europe’s fans. Stadiums are patchy. Atmospheres are muted. The tournament lacks history, prestige, or even urgency. Prize money seems to be the only true motivator. Meanwhile, serious injuries like Jamal Musiala’s show the very real risks to players, who are now expected to give even more of their bodies to an increasingly bloated calendar.
But Infantino and FIFA don’t seem concerned. Why? Because they’ve already proved what they wanted to prove: they can run the show. Or rather, Saudi money can.
Saudi Arabia: The Real Winner
While football fans around the world debate the relevance of the Club World Cup, Saudi Arabia is walking away with the jackpot. Clubs backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), like Al-Hilal, are now being taken seriously after their shock win over Manchester City. That single result could serve as a PR coup similar to India’s 2007 cricket moment that launched the IPL into dominance.
And that’s no accident. The Saudis have long made clear their desire to reshape the footballing landscape — and FIFA appears to be holding the door open.
The Eventual Shift to Saudi Soil?
Don’t be surprised if the tournament ends up permanently hosted in Saudi Arabia. It’s an open secret that the Kingdom wants more than just hosting rights — it wants control. After securing the 2034 World Cup, owning top-level football’s newest toy seems like the next logical step.
It would serve everyone’s interests — except perhaps the fans. For FIFA, it’s more guaranteed revenue and political influence. For the Saudis, it’s soft power, prestige, and more global legitimacy for their domestic league.
The signals are there. Figures like Florentino Pérez were spotted at MetLife Stadium alongside A22 — the controversial company behind the failed Super League. Their presence isn’t accidental. This tournament is increasingly being viewed as a backdoor to a global club competition dominated by the richest owners and, eventually, Saudi clubs.
FIFA’s Grand Plan: More Control, Less Tradition
Infantino reportedly wants to reshape the football calendar entirely — splitting the year into thirds: one for club football, one for internationals, and one for international club competitions. Such a system would upend domestic leagues — the traditional backbone of the sport — while conveniently increasing FIFA’s control and revenue.
Some within FIFA already argue that 20-team leagues are “too big” and inefficient. Translation? They want fewer domestic games and more global cash cows like the Club World Cup. The fact that Chelsea (private equity-owned) and PSG (state-owned) contested the final is symbolic of this new world order: football run by money, not merit.
A Global Game at Risk
FIFA claims it’s all about sharing football’s wealth with the world. But when the prize money is hoarded by elites, when solidarity payments to smaller clubs are quietly dropped, and when Saudi Arabia walks away with the biggest influence of all — what are we really building?
The Club World Cup isn’t about the beautiful game anymore. It’s a financial instrument, a political tool, and perhaps most worryingly, a Trojan horse for Saudi Arabia’s rise to football dominance.
The football calendar is being ripped apart piece by piece — and unless someone stands up, FIFA may soon succeed in selling the soul of the game.
