Having lost the Fifa 20XX video game cash cow, Fifa president, Gianni Infantino tried to compensate by arranging a 32 team club tournament, which started at the weekend in the USA. Football fans love the club game more than the international game, so a project like this had a sporting chance of success. But it wasn’t given a ‘sporting’ chance.
Since the inception of the game, qualification for tournaments has had a published format. The format might not be to your taste (“Champions” League without some champions and with midranking sides from elsewhere), but at least there is a system.
In this sense, the USA is an outlier. They have a closed league, without promotion and relegation. Openings to join and rare, require agreement from other clubs, and involve a huge downpayment. Infantino decided that his Club World Cup would not be troubled by a meritocratic system of entry. Messi would be there, no matter how poorly his side were last term.
It is to the worldwide football community’s credit that no one was interested. Even the US football public, starved of proper competition, required discounts of up to 86% on ticket prices before the uptake started. Infantino leant on the Saudi’s, who he had just delivered the World Cup hosting rights to, to fund the tournament.
The remarkable thing is, Infantino is an improvement on Sepp Blatter and most of the cabal at the top table before him. It will take generations to weed out the problems at Fifa. Until then, have as little to do with their tawdry events as possible.
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Maybe the San Francisco 49s could have run it and made millions and millions, wealth off the radar
Feck FIFA
TT
That started in the US this weekend?
I didn’t even know.
I imagine those clubs invited will be happy to make the millions on offer. Would we refuse to take part if we were to be invited some fine day??
Paul67
Good article ‘tawdry’ indeed.
TT- Was in the Herald I think
Celtic could be in Club World Cup next year,as it’s going to 48 clubs,given the viewing figures we could generate
I may be in a minority of 1 but I wish we’re playing in it.
Given our pathetic domestic tv pot and the glass ceiling we batter our heads against due to EpL dominance and UEFA competitions bias then this would have been welcome exposure and revenue.
A platform to exploit our global identity and fan base.
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/soccer/fifa-club-world-cup-billion-rcna212757
WORLD club championship a disgrace.
How many time can we expect these players to play. Thats who i really feel for.
Before anyone says they get XXXXXXxxxx a week they still need a break.
I am guessing we are going to get these every two years when WC or EUros are not on.
It’s a wonder Big Peter is not over in Sion lobbying Uefa to have us included in next season’s tournament.
If we fail to win through to the CL will we drop into the Europa League or are we out of all European Competition?
“The remarkable thing is, Infantino is an improvement on Sepp Blatter and most of the cabal at the top table before him. It will take generations to weed out the problems at Fifa. Until then, have as little to do with their tawdry events as possible”.
You could easily replace “Infantino” with Maxwell, “Sep Blatter`’ with `Wiggy Smith and “Fifa” with SFA!
If Celtic lose our champions league playoff round tie, we go straight into Europa Group Stage.
If we get invited to the ‘tawdry’ gig next year it’s almost inevitable that rangers will get one too.
25m just to participate, real money for them
TOSB
No parachutes 🪂 in the Europa.
Celtic made more money from Europ, than Tottenham Hotspur despite them winning the EL.
There’s £50M reasons why Celtic would jump at the chance to be involved in this “tawdry” FIFA competition.
Half of Auckland FC couldn’t travel,as they couldn’t get time off work….
Awoody
Thank you for your response.
Bournesouprecipe
Yes I read that we made a couple of £million more than Spurs. Are you sure we don’t parachute into the Europa if we get knocked out at the CL Qualifying Round? Awoody says that we do ☝️
Dont think the Saudi/FIFAWorld Club Cup is going to be an annual event, (would clash with FIFA WC eg) think the next one will take place in 2029, probably somewhere like Qatar, or Saudi if they have enough stadiums ready. It is true that FIFA is already planning to increase the number of invitees to 48. Then again next years FIFA World Coup will have 48 qualifiers, so they will have a model to work from.
Very poor coverage on SSN of McIntyre’s brilliant 2nd at the US Open, only interested in Rory and the English players
BB – Having watched the game I’m now unsure if you’re joking or not. Auckland were terrible, unable to deliver a simple pass without finding a Bayern player.
That one game has probably killed any legitimacy this tournament sought to establish, at least until the prelim rounds are over and all the “who??” teams are out.
https://etims.net/?p=19002
https://x.com/Monica97625950/status/1933731001152516199#m
I’d rather have another European trophy to brag about rather than how much of an increase in the bonuses will be for the PLC sleekits.
There in lies the problem with the invitational CWC, tawdry as it is, it is heavily funded and any clubs from out with the four big TV deal leagues that get an invite take a huge financial leap forward on their domestic and european rivals who do not. If there’s big money being offered, sadly, it seems you need to be there – unless you can sell someone for £40m and buy an equally good replacement for £10m!
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. Two games tonight and ascot starts tomorrow. This should be a laugh. 🙄
Bada
Golf is a sport with saturation advertising, from their clubs to their clothing, I don’t know who handles Bob MacIntyre’s endorsements but he has none on his clothing that I have seen, this is a guy who is doing exceptionally well on the PGA tour having already won there, won on the European Tour and was a key member of the recent Ryder Cup team , of course that may not be what he[Bob] wants, but if that’s the case he is the exception to the behaviour of others players. Well done Bob fantastic performance on an exceptionally tough course and severe weather for the leaders yesterday.
PICINISCO
If what CELTICMAC says is accurate and there’s not another competition for four years and perhaps a four year cycle after that, it does mitigate against a huge financial advantage, nevertheless still an advantage.
If a real £25m windfall was to come the way of them it would be a worrying boost even though we would get the same , it gives them a big opportunity to push forward more quickly.
Dessybhoy
It is Ian Stoddart who looks after Bob Macintyres commercial interests.
He has some really good deals including place including one with a bourbon distillery which is eye watering tbh.
I don’t know who does his clothing deals though.
As for coverage he gets from the uk media it is a disgrace.
Sadly like Raducanu (a Chinese / Romanian / Canadian / Brit construct depending on where she is playing ) at the tennis only Rory seems to matter to the UK media.
I really would love Bob to win a major soon.
B78
He has the game for sure, rock solid and hits the ball a mile.
From NBC
As a new tournament, the Club World Cup can’t offer much in the way of prestige or history. Instead, it has offered a historic amount of prize money, with $525 million of the total $1 billion distributed to teams on a sliding scale, guaranteed, just for making the 32-team field. At the top, brand-name European teams such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain will earn $12.8 million to $38 million; at the bottom, New Zealand’s Auckland City FC will earn $3.5 million.
Distribution of the remaining $475 million of the billion-dollar pool will be determined by teams’ performances; making the round of 16 earns each club $7.5 million, with quarterfinalists earning $13.1 million and prizes increasing up to the final. The winner can ultimately rake in up to $125 million, all of which adds up to much more than bragging rights — which has left Major League Soccer players asking why their cut from the windfall isn’t greater.
I suspect that if Celtic were to appear in the CWC we would earn closer to £10m which is a nice earner… obviously the huns would earn £125m at least (copyright SMSM)
YORKBHOY
Thanks for clearing up the prize money for the ‘tawdry’ cup. I had heard the 25m figure and assumed it was accurate
Borgo67.. I have seen 25mill £/$ mentioned for players… possibly winning bonus, but there does seem to be different repirts
Going through to Edinburgh on Wednesday. Meeting Tam McLaughlin at Platform 5 pub across from Haymarket Station. All welcome if you buy impoverished pensioners beers. 🍻😁
dessybhoy- Bob is sponsored by Nike,the majority of their contracts, dont allow any other sponsors on their clothing, I thought today’s coverage was a disgrace
!!Bada Bing!! on 16th June 2025 1:35 pm
Very poor coverage on SSN of McIntyre’s brilliant 2nd at the US Open, only interested in Rory and the English players
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Great showing by MacIntyre. The English media seem to love McIlroy. Maybe they think he’s English.