A preliminary round with two teams, a so-called quarter-final with only two teams – the Club World Cup is an unusual tournament. The seven-team format has existed since 2007, with slight changes. FIFA’s plan was to expand the tournament to only play every four years in the summer and make a lot of money from it.
In the summer of 2021, the tournament was to be held in China for the first time with 24 teams, which the coronavirus pandemic prevented. Especially in Europe, many stakeholders are wondering: What will happen to the tournament in the future?
Corona has so far prevented the enlarged tournament
When the UEFA European Championship, like almost all major sporting events, had to be canceled at the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020, FIFA had to free up the summer of 2021 to allow tournaments such as the European Championship and the Copa America to be held in South America. Since then, the tournament has hardly been mentioned, FIFA played the 2020 version just like the current 2021 edition in the well-known format with seven teams.
Infantino answered vaguely at press conferences, and there were hardly any statements. “We still have to find the right date”said Infantino in spring 2021. “During this time, when everything is overloaded anyway, it’s obviously not an easy task. If we have to wait a year longer, then we’ll do it.”
Two-year rhythm of the World Cup of the national teams in the foreground
For a new appointment, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult. Summer 2022 has long been occupied by the UEFA Nations League, in winter the World Cup for the national teams is coming to Qatar, but it remains questionable whether the players can expect such an appointment in the summer of 2023. In the meantime, however, the two-year rhythm of the World Cup for the national teams has become FIFA’s major project anyway.