Questions Remain Ahead of Club World Cup

Fifa's billion-dollar gamble to revolutionise club football begins on June 14 with plenty of cash up for grabs but questionable enthusiasm, as 32 teams prepare to contest the expanded Club World Cup in 12 stadiums across the United States.

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The tournament — designed as a glittering showcase ahead of the 2026 World Cup which is co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada — has had to contend with the prospect of empty seats along with controversial qualification rules and player welfare concerns after an exhausting European season.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami face Egypt's Al Ahly in the opening fixture at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with tickets still widely available days before kick-off. Fifa's website shows lots of available tickets, including for the July 13 final.

Messi's presence underscores the tournament's contentious foundations. Miami gained entry by topping Major League Soccer's regular-season standings, despite losing in the first round of the play-offs — a decision critics say shows Fifa's desperation to have the Argentina great at their inaugural showpiece.