Infantino. . . .

[Funkydrummer]

"the golden era of global club football has started".

With reference to the club world cup. Extract from BBC sport.

Discuss

[Woodleyclaret]

He really is a clown but then his predecessor though he was the greatest gift to football ever too.

[Chester Perry]

He really is a clown but then his predecessor though he was the greatest gift to football ever too.

He is no clown and has FIFA firmly within his grip

there are merits to wanting to build the global game and the idea of redistribution is not really different to what the EFL are looking to the new Independent Football Regulator for

that said - he seems to have the European game firmly within his crosshairs with the Champions League and even the Premier League to be intended victims as the established traditions of many decades will have to be dismantled to enable his 'vision

I posted this on the MMT on Friday - to enable some of the things mentioned would require domestic leagues of just 16 teams and only a single domestic cup competition for those clubs participating in continental and inter-continental club games (all points that have been openly discussed for years at FIFA)

Depending on where you are in the world your view as to the merit/success of FIFA's Club World Cup - though no one is surprised to hear that Gianni Infantino believes it is a huge success.

It is perhaps more important to consider what is to follow, some of which I have been trailing for several years. Here Miguel Delaney runs though a list of ideas/plans that appear almost all intent on breaking Europe's very long standing traditions and stranglehold on the games riches.

from the Independent

What comes next? Inside Fifa’s grand plan after Club World Cup
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been delighted with how the revamped Club World Cup has gone, writes Miguel Delaney, but he has no intention of stopping there, with even bigger plans already afoot
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 87050.html
https://archive.ph/xHttO

[jrgbfc]

You can guarantee there'll be looking for ways to get more of the bigger European clubs there. Much more money to be made from having the likes of Liverpool and Barca there instead of Auckland City or Mamelodi Sundowns.

[Funkydrummer]

In contrast :-

"the worst idea ever implemented in football"

So says Jurgen Klopp.

[ollieclarets8]

Change it to Europe next time, might get more of an interest.

[Chester Perry]

Change it to Europe next time, might get more of an interest.

Qatar is the favourite for a 48 team Club World Cup in 2029 - which would entail a mid season break like the 2034 World Cup in Saudi

Also potential for qualifying to be on a co-efficient/points basis rather than actually winning continental cups - a move designed to get more of the big clubs involved

[Juan Tanamera]

Let's hope they can shoe horn the occasional league game into their busy schedules.

[NottsClaret]

The idea Infantino wants to nobly redistribute European money and power to the rest of the world, rather than just tap into Saudi, US and Qatari wealth to fill FIFA’s coffers is actually comical.

The Super League will happen. The Club World Cup will be a big deal and the Saudi League will be a big player. Money talks sooner or later. Burnley aside, I’ve almost no interest in top level football now.

[mikeS]

'Golden' being the operative word there.
Coming Next on FIFA News, The World Super Soccer League...

[dvalley69]

Even if we were competing in this comp I wouldn't give a monkeys. It's football overkill & completely unnecessary.

[dougcollins]

The idea Infantino wants to nobly redistribute European money and power to the rest of the world, rather than just tap into Saudi, US and Qatari wealth to fill FIFA’s coffers is

Noble wasn't the first word to enter my head when I read the name Infantino.

[ecc]

Fair play to Infantino, his predecessor was a damn hard act to follow. But he's giving it a good go.

[Claret53]

It’s hard to see this as anything other than a power ploy by the leader of an organisation which has become a byword for corruption.
But the money men who control most of Europe’s leading clubs will be happy to have their noses in the trough and for their clubs to take an ever larger percentage of the money available in football - which will, no doubt, be reflected in the money which they themselves make from the game.

[Chester Perry]

It’s hard to see this as anything other than a power ploy by the leader of an organisation which has become a byword for corruption.
But the money men who control most of Europe’s leading clubs will be happy to have their noses in the trough and for their clubs to take an ever larger percentage of the money available in football - which will, no doubt, be reflected in the money which they themselves make from the game.

It is no coincidence that at the semi final between Real Madrid and PSG - A22 (the company still trying to create a Super League) were with Florentino Perez who along with Infantino is still trying to create a world super League - people forget that Infantino has already created a somewhat failed Super League in Africa

[forzagranata]

Change it to Europe next time, might get more of an interest.

You reckon?

Average attendance has been 38,000 per game - that's for the entire tournament, including group stage games with Asian and African teams. You reckon you'd get that in Europe? Games like Flamengo v Al Ahly.

There were 60,000 crowds for Boca Juniors games in Miami - 50,000 of them Boca fans. You reckon they'd travel to Hamburg or Newcastle?

TV ratings in the US were higher than the average for Champions League or Premier League games.

There was no shortage of interest over here in the USA or in South America, Asia or Africa.

[AlargeClaret]

The master stoke ( imo) with the CWC was playing in the US where “ soccer “ is still a long way behind NFL/Baseball/Basketball etc , yet still popular . Being able to utilise large stadiums and bring “ super clubs” to a fan base pretty much starved of such pomp .

Crowds have been good, tv ratings high , with fans unprejudiced by European “ fan values /culture “ (just a few early round low key games suffering low crowds) Sponsors have also been plentiful. Personally think it’s a total fecking aberration, but the corporate sell and proliferation of US club owners brings visions of hideous world franchises .

[Woodleyclaret]

Sorry but this expansion of the competitions and the madness of a tournament in the close season is a step too far.The game is being killed already by too much exposure .Greed and the millions to be made will kill our domestic game.

[Chester Perry]

I put this on the MMT but also works here

there is so much that I have not posted about FIFA's Club World Cup and particularly the stuff that is going on around it - such as FIFA's new US offices (opened in this last week) in Trump tower of all places

Here Oliver Kay of The Athletic looks at how tonight's final is really a precise reflection of the current state and direction of the world's game

PSG and Chelsea in the Club World Cup final reflects the state of the game in 2025
https://archive.ph/xIK5N

[Funkydrummer]

It's becoming one big circus and it won't be too long before I make the final decision to pack it all in and watch Padiham.

[dvalley69]

Unbelievable to think that Chelsea are still officially playing the 24/25 season when most teams are back in pre-season for the 25/26 season.

[Funkydrummer]

Unbelievable to think that Chelsea are still officially playing the 24/25 season when most teams are back in pre-season for the 25/26 season.

Next thing, they'll be complaining of fatigue, tiredness and lack of time to prepare for next season. Smaller league request to follow I predict.

[forzagranata]

Brazil want to host the 2029 tournament and Spain are interested too. Its not going anywhere even if English and European fans aren't interested that much.

There is too much football overall - but its not FIFA producing most of it. UEFA expanded the Champions League group stage and added Europa League and Conference League. England has two Cup competitions - with people caring less and less about the League Cup in particular. PL teams go on post-season tours and pre-season tours.

They need to all get in a room and sort it out. Not likely however.

[ecc]

"Global players' union Fifpro was not invited to a "key" meeting that Fifa president Gianni Infantino held on player welfare where a minimum three-week off-season break was agreed, BBC Sport has been told."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... lj92jqr67o

[bumba]

Next thing, they'll be complaining of fatigue, tiredness and lack of time to prepare for next season. Smaller league request to follow I predict.

Maybe it's time to put a cap on the amount of games a player can play each season including club and country.
Doing this would ensure managers rotate players and use their squads more.

[Boss Hogg]

I have zero interest in the club World Cup or whatever it’s called and don’t watch many European games. Your traditional fan going to league matches probably isn’t who they are interested in though. They want not attending armchair fans that watch on TV in China or elsewhere.

[No Ney Never]

If this continues, when negotiating contracts, agents of the top players are going to begin talking number of games in a season or calendar year that the contract covers.
This would be in the guise of 'to protect their players welfare', which would be true, but recognising the additional income being generated by these tournaments, they would also want some of this going to their player. A pricing menu could become a part of the contract with an agreed value for any additional games.

[Funkydrummer]

Maybe it's time to put a cap on the amount of games a player can play each season including club and country.
Doing this would ensure managers rotate players and use their squads more.

On the back of that they will demand larger squads be allowed, many more players on the bench and many more substitutions being allowed. Time will tell, but I'll bet I'm not far off.

[bumba]

I imagine subs would be used less if it was an appearance against a player's name. Up the squads to 30 Thats more than big enough

[Funkydrummer]

First figure = money just for turning up !!!!!
(by invitation only btw) ffs.

Second figure awarded on merit.The list is longer, but fairly meaningless below what's shown here.

Extract from BBC sports website.


Club World Cup Prize Money (£m)
IParticipation Fee IPerformance Prize Money
Chelsea - 21.3 62.7
PSG - 23 55.4
Real Madrid - 26.3 40.2
Fluminese - 39.3 50.4
Bayern Munich - 24.6 18.1
Borussia - 19.6 18.8
Man City - 27.9 37.8
Palmeiras - 11.1 18 29.1
Inter Milan - 17.8 26.3
Al Hilal- 7 18 25
Benfica - 0 23
Flamengo - 0 20.3

[Funkydrummer]

Sorry, does the above require any comment ?

[RammyClaret61]

Let's hope they can shoe horn the occasional league game into their busy schedules.

Nah. Don’t bother with league games. Just eff off and play in your “super league”!

[IanMcL]

All very sickening and nothing to do with supporting your team.