Gianni Infantino remained vague in many statements, but the President made the strategy of the world football association FIFA clear at the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: more and larger competitions for much higher sales.
Rather casually, Gianni Infantino mentioned that the World Cup in Qatar “the best everThe jubilee aria of the President of FIFA was surprisingly moderate, and the boss of the world association also limited himself in time Friday (December 16, 2022) is over after just 50 minutes, including the questions and answers.
Infantino’s FIFA wants to grow
This is another reason why many questions remained unanswered two days before the World Cup final. But they will be asked in the coming months and probably even years, not only from journalists but also from football clubs and continental federations, which are particularly affected by the fact that Infantinos wants FIFA to grow.
In the years from 2019 to 2022, the world association turned over 7.5 billion US dollars, that is a good seven billion euros. “Despite the pandemic“As Infantino noted, that was a billion dollars more than planned.
FIFA thinks big
In the next business cycle, sales should increase to eleven billion US dollars (10.3 billion euros). That would correspond to growth of around 47 percent. FIFA thinks big, it plans big, and so it inflates its competitions.
Infantino announced on Friday that from 2025 the Club World Cup would be played every four years with 32 teams. So far, only seven teams are playing for the title, the next edition is scheduled for February 2023 with Morocco as the host.
Infantino keeps a low profile
According to Infantino, the increase in sales that can be expected from the massively expanded Club World Cup is not even included in the eleven billion US dollars. The 52-year-old Swiss couldn’t find out more about the World Cup for clubs from 2025: “We’ll talk about the details soon.”
The mode should be the same as the current World Cup for national teams or at least very similar. Exact time and distribution key according to teams per continental association are open.
The world association of football leagues criticized FIFA’s plans. “These decisions were made unilaterally”criticized the World Leagues Forum (WLF), in which the German Football League (DFL) is also a member. “Without consultation – let alone consent – with those directly affected: the leagues, their member clubs, the players and fans.”
Many questions still unanswered
There are other important questions, because such a bloated Club World Cup will only bring in the money hoped for if the top clubs play too, and they can only be lured by money.
Infantino had already discussed plans for an expansion in December 2019, but made a big secret of the potential financier before the corona pandemic put the topic on hold.
Will a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund step in?
Rumor has it that a conglomerate involving a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund is willing to put up to €25 billion into the competition. This would attract top clubs and therefore top stars, but coaches and the Professional Footballers’ Union (FIFPro) are likely to be reluctant to host another tournament lasting around a month.
Resistance could also be expected from the continental associations and the leagues, because their competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League, would be devalued by an attractive Club World Cup. Accordingly, the proceeds from the sale of media rights could decrease.
Well, no groups of three at the next World Cup
Even without a bloated Club World Cup, the burden on the players that coaches and unions keep an eye on is likely to continue to rise. Infantino casually put aside plans on Friday to play the expanded 48-team preliminary round of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada in 16 groups of three teams each. This format would have meant that 80 instead of the previous 64 games would be necessary. However, there would have been a great danger that two teams would agree on a result that would help both on the last day of the group match, when one team is sentenced to spectating.
“We need to think again“said Infantino. However, he did not justify the change of heart with the possible manipulation, but with the experiences from Qatar. The last day of the game in the groups of four was so exciting.
If the groups of four were retained, it could amount to 104 games, 40 more than currently. This would push up the price of the media rights that are not yet sold in important and attractive markets in Europe and Asia for 2026.
“In some places in the world there are no competitions at all”
The turnover at other competitions that Infantino brought up is likely to increase more modestly. Specifically, he called a Club World Cup for women, which has not yet existed. Furthermore, according to the President: “In some places in the world there are no competitions at all. We have to change that. That is the goal of FIFA.”
More money for the world association means more money for each of the 211 member associations. The already large majority that will re-elect Infantino in March 2023 at the congress in Rwanda will thus be consolidated.