FIFA’s ever-expanding ambitions are threatening to suffocate European football — and the 2025 Club World Cup is at the heart of it. What was once a minor tournament with little relevance is now being inflated into a full-scale commercial juggernaut, driven more by revenue and politics than genuine sporting merit.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, basking in the supposed success of the revamped Club World Cup, has grander plans. But beneath the shiny surface lies a deeper issue — the erosion of football’s already overloaded calendar. European leagues, fans, and players are all being sidelined in favour of a vision where global profits come first and tradition is left behind.
The Calendar Cram Is Getting Worse
European football already faces an unsustainable schedule. Domestic leagues and UEFA competitions leave little room for recovery, let alone preparation. Yet FIFA continues to muscle in with expanded tournaments and rumours of even more drastic changes to the football calendar.
Reports suggest that FIFA is considering splitting the year into three “equal” blocks — one for domestic football, one for international club competitions like the Club World Cup, and one for national teams. This would not only marginalise traditional league formats but reduce them to one-third of the sport’s focus.
It’s a blatant land grab disguised as “innovation”.
A Tournament With No Soul
Despite Infantino’s smiles and handshakes at the MetLife Stadium, Europe’s reaction to the new Club World Cup has been lukewarm at best. While South American fans may welcome the spectacle, European stadiums have shown empty seats and fans have shown little interest. The tournament lacks history, narrative, and real stakes. Most of the buzz has centred around prize money, not football.
When one of the key headlines is Jamal Musiala getting injured, you know something’s wrong.
The Saudi Influence and Super League Shadows
FIFA’s increasingly cosy ties with Saudi Arabia are another red flag. The backing of Saudi investment has been crucial in staging the tournament — but it also opens the door to geopolitical motives and the rise of state-backed superclubs.
Al-Hilal’s shock win over Manchester City may have been a fluke, but it’s already being used as propaganda to promote the Saudi Pro League as a serious global player. If FIFA bends further to state or private equity interests, what’s to stop the Club World Cup from becoming a Trojan horse for a new global Super League?
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and Super League architects were reportedly present at the final. That should worry anyone who cares about football’s integrity.
FIFA’s Real Motive: Power and Profit
Infantino insists the Club World Cup is about “spreading the wealth” beyond Europe. But questions remain over where that wealth is actually going. Promised “solidarity payments” to smaller clubs have quietly faded into the background, and dynamic pricing has kept many fans priced out of knockout matches.
Behind the scenes, FIFA insiders are already pushing for a biennial tournament and expanded formats — despite UEFA believing there’s a four-year agreement in place. Clubs who missed out on qualification are reportedly pressuring for a coefficient-based system that favours elite clubs and pushes out true meritocracy.
European Football Is Being Undermined
The domestic game — the foundation of football — is being diluted. FIFA doesn’t profit directly from domestic leagues, and that’s a problem for them. Infantino and his inner circle reportedly believe 20-team leagues are too big. The implication is clear: domestic football is just in the way of their grand designs.
But if FIFA succeeds in shrinking Europe’s leagues or repurposing the calendar to suit their needs, fans, clubs, and players will suffer. The magic of weekly league battles, the rise of underdogs, and the local rivalries that define football could be lost to a bland, globalised calendar dominated by corporate giants and state interests.
FIFA is playing a dangerous game. If European football doesn’t push back now, it may soon find itself as just one part of a global circus — and not the main event.
