Fifa to pay US$1 billion prize money for Club World Cup
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Fifa's Club World Cup tournament will feature 12 teams from Europe, six from South America and four each from Asia, Africa and North and Central America.
PHOTO: AFP
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PARIS – Fifa announced on March 5 it will pay a total prize money of US$1 billion (S$1.33 billion) to participants in the Club World Cup taking place in the United States in 2025.
The figure is significantly more than the prize money offered for either the last men or women’s World Cups. World football’s governing body has given few details about the funding of the first edition of the 32-team tournament that will take place every four years, but it has signed up a broadcaster and major sponsors in recent weeks.
In a statement confirming the prize money, Fifa said it expected to generate US$2 billion in revenues from the expanded competition. It also confirmed that a women’s edition will take place from 2028.
“The Fifa Club World Cup will not only be the pinnacle of club football, but also a vivid demonstration of solidarity that will benefit clubs at large to a scale that no other competition has ever done,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
“All revenue generated by the tournament will be distributed to the participating clubs and via club solidarity across the world as Fifa will not keep a single dollar.”
British streaming service Dazn was awarded the exclusive global rights to the June 14-July 13 tournament, with a source close to the negotiations saying the contract was worth around US$1 billion.
Fifa has also signed sponsorship contracts with Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Chinese electronics brand Hisense and Belgian brewers AB InBev.
By comparison, the total prize money for the men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar was US$440 million, while for the Women’s 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, it was US$110 million.
This season’s Uefa Champions League, with a new 36-club format, will pay a total US$2.66 billion to the clubs involved.
Fifa’s expansion of the tournament has been met by widespread criticism, especially in Europe, largely due to concerns over player welfare.
The Champions League was also expanded by Uefa this season and some players, including Ballon d’Or winner and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, have raised the prospect of a strike.
The Club World Cup will feature 12 teams from Europe, six from South America and four each from Asia, Africa and North and Central America. New Zealand side Auckland City and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami complete the line-up.
Not all the reaction has been negative, however, with Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisting “everyone” would want to play.
“Once every four years there’s this new, extremely exciting competition. Everyone wants to go to the Club World Cup,” the Spaniard said in 2024.
The tournament will be held at 12 venues across 11 cities in the United States, with the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, which will also host the 2026 World Cup final. AFP
