The next rendition of the Fifa Club World Cup will take pace in the summer of 2029 in a hammer blow to Qatar’s bid to host the tournament.
Fifa informed the continental confederations of plans for the second Club World Cup, as reported by The Guardian, which included the possible expansion beyond the 32 clubs that competed in the United States this summer.
Lobbying from leading clubs to expand the Club World Cup to a 48-team model, as will be seen for the first time at next year’s World Cup, has intensified since the culmination of last month’s tournament, which saw Chelsea emerge as victors. However, this is not to say that the immediate leap to 48 teams is guaranteed for 2029, with a more gradual increase also possible.
Nevertheless, the fact it will be held in the summer may kill off any chance of Qatar hosting the tournament, which may help improve Fifa’s relations with European leagues.
As was the case for the 2022 World Cup, a Qatar-hosted Club World Cup would likely have moved the competition to winter, which was a major concern to European parties. It’s reported that senior officials from Qatar held talks with Fifa in June about a potential bid, but confirmation of the timetable may have put them off.
Spain and Morocco are now the most likely hosts before they help co-host the 2030 World Cup. Portugal, the third host nation of that tournament, has yet to express much interest, but their smaller stadiums could come be suitable if another proposition comes to fruition.
To ensure the tournament’s expansion does not cause further player welfare issues, Fifa is considering an alternative structure for the 2029 rendition that will see a series of qualifying playoffs the week before the main competition, with the winners advancing.
For this year’s Club World Cup, a single playoff was held at the final hour between Los Angeles FC and Club America to determine the tournament’s final Concacaf entrant after Mexican outfit Club Leon were expelled from the tournament over multi-club ownership rules.
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