Fifa's new Club World Cup: An R18bn gamble

WITH an eye-watering $1 billion (about R18bn) in prize money, some of the biggest stars in the game, and clubs competing from across the globe, Fifa's new Club World Cup has all the ingredients to be a major event.

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But the 32-team tournament, which will be played across the US from early Sunday morning, has faced criticism and scepticism since Fifa president Gianni Infantino first floated the idea.

As a completely new addition to an already congested football calendar, it remains to be seen whether the competition can secure a regular place on the international stage.

Players’ representatives, such as global union FIFPRO, have warned of excessive workloads, while others have questioned whether fans will turn out in sufficient numbers for the group-stage fixtures.

"Players will have to perform at the end of an 11-month season with little prospect of getting enough rest before the following season starts," FIFPRO warned when Fifa formally announced the tournament in 2023.

Certainly, the event adds to an already crowded schedule for the world’s top players. Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram and Paris Saint-Germain's Désiré Doué both played in Uefa’s Champions League final atthe end of May and then switched shirts to represent their countries in the Uefa Nations League finals in Germany just days later.