Messi is Infantino's last shot to save FIFA Club World Cup

With growing player frustrations over an increasingly packed schedule and talk of strikes, FIFA’s Club World Cup is still set to begin this summer under an expanded format. But Gianni Infantino’s latest trump card will attract viewers worldwide. His name is Lionel Messi.

Although Infantino has criticized the infamous Super League for lacking competitiveness, the inclusion of Inter Miami under questionable circumstances (awarding a Supporters’ Shield winner) has stirred up some controversy among fans and critics. However, the FIFA president justified the inclusion of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. He said that in the United States, they’ve shown that “they are consistently the best club on the field of play” despite winning zero MLS Cups since Messi joined in 2023.

How Inter Miami found itself in this competition

Thirty-two teams will compete in the 2025 Club World Cup, representing six confederations. For those unfamiliar, this competition used to be called the Confederations Cup. FIFA rebranded it as the Club World Cup in 2019.

UEFA has the highest representation with 12 teams, and CONCACAF initially has four. However, with the addition of Inter Miami, the participation of the CONCACAF has increased to five teams for this tournament.

Although the MLS Cup winner is still undecided, FIFA has already awarded a spot in the Club World Cup to Inter Miami.

Most teams qualified through a new points-based process, which considers performance over the past four seasons in each confederation’s premier club competition.

Starting from the group stage, the system awards points, with three points given for each win, one for each draw, and additional points for each stage advanced.

The inclusion of Inter Miami, however, has caused some confusion. They haven’t accumulated enough points, as they only recently won the Supporters’ Shield and finished in first place in the Eastern Conference. To justify their participation, Infantino has granted them a “host nation” spot. This sets a precedent for host nation involvement in future tournaments.

While the decision is controversial, FIFA must hope that the inclusion of Messi will attract commercial interest and global attention.

It has already helped FIFA who this week announced their very first commercial sponsor for Club World Cup 2025 – Hisense. Infantino’s response to the announcement included his usual over-the-top remarks, saying “We all know that this means the beginning of a new era of club football – the biggest and best global club competition that the planet has ever seen. An open and inclusive competition because in order to participate, of course, you need to qualify. Every club in the world has a chance to participate in the (FIFA) Club World Cup.”

Why has there been backlash?

Although this revamped tournament has been Infantino’s flagship project, it has faced backlash from all sides. Domestic leagues are pursuing legal action, and players are considering strikes due to the increased workload

In July, the global players’ union Fifpro and the European Leagues body, representing 39 leagues and 1,130 clubs across 33 countries, submitted a joint complaint to the European Commission. They are accusing Fifa of “abusing its dominant position” in the sport. With players, leagues, and unions unified in opposition, a player strike now seems a real possibility.

Concerns about player health have been central to the opposition to the expanded Club World Cup. More games ultimately mean a higher risk of injury. Yet another tournament now overshadows any chance of a summer break for players.

Notable Premier League players, including Alisson, Heung-Min Son, and Rodri have openly discussed the possibility of a strike. It’s telling that Rodri suffered an ACL injury just a week after that press conference.

Clubs aren’t the only ones pushing back. FIFA is also facing challenges with broadcasters. The organization is in dispute with its long-term partners Adidas and Coca-Cola over sponsorship rights. They’re both “unwilling to enter a tender process.”

Broadcast negotiations have also stalled. FIFA targeted $4 billion in television revenue, but broadcasters have “balked at the quoted sum.” The “lack of concrete details regarding venues and scheduling” halted the talks.

As FIFA tries its final push to captivate a global audience, the excitement of seeing Messi may indeed draw in fans.

However, without addressing the mounting concerns over player welfare, the ambitious relaunch risks losing the very players it hopes will make this tournament a success.

Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire