Thunderclap to UEFA! The institution would be ready to accept the expansion of the Club World Cup to 48 teams from 2029 according to The Guardian. Initially opposed to the project for fear of seeing the competition compete with the Champions League and unbalance the international calendar, UEFA would now set a clear condition. The tournament should not be organized every two years. The idea of this cycle, supported for a time by Real Madrid, was ultimately rejected in the face of resistance from European leagues and national authorities. FIFA, which had already suggested before the last edition in the United States that an increase from 32 to 48 clubs was envisaged, seeks above all to strengthen the tournament’s revenues, particularly after the absence of major teams. FC Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United are among them.
This drastic change would mark an appeasement between Aleksander Ceferin and Gianni Infantino, presidents of UEFA and FIFA respectively. An expansion would make it possible to increase the number of qualified European clubs (from 12 to around 16), with considerable financial gains – like the 85 million pounds (or around 102 million euros) won by Chelsea during their coronation against PSG this summer. Despite persistent concerns about the economic and sporting impact of European competitions, this expanded formula is considered less destabilizing than a meeting every two years, especially since the two presidents, potentially candidates for the next elections, have an interest in maintaining a peaceful climate for the good of international football and its organization. As a reminder, it is Spain and Morocco who are the favorites to host the next Club World Cup, which will take place in the summer of 2029. A year before they are two of the main hosts of the 2030 World Cup.
