Manchester City celebrate their victory in the FA Community Shield
Manchester City celebrate their victory in the FA Community Shield
Streaming giant DAZN has secured a deal with FIFA to broadcast the contentious Club World Cup worldwide on a free-to-air basis.
Ahead of next summer's tournament in the US, club insiders have voiced their discontent over FIFA's delay in selling the broadcasting rights—a situation that's led to legal challenges from player associations and domestic leagues concerned about the event's timing. It has been speculated that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) may invest up to one billion USD (£787.6 million) in DAZN, which recently acquired rights to show the Saudi Pro League in several European countries including the UK, as well as showcasing Riyadh Season boxing matches and Six Kings Slam tennis events from Saudi Arabia.
FIFA’s announcement about having a global broadcast partner - allowing sub-licensing to domestic broadcasters - comes just before the draw in Miami. English clubs Manchester City and Chelsea will avoid each other during the group stage of this 32-team competition, which has faced significant challenges even before its inception.
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Criticism has been levelled at FIFA for not engaging properly with player unions and leagues regarding the international match calendar, with Premier League CEO Richard Masters referring to the advent of the Club World Cup as a "tipping point". Union concerns are primarily focused on player welfare, with European-based players who progress far in the tournament likely to have minimal time for rest and recovery before the 2025-26 domestic seasons commence.
Players have voiced their unease, with City midfielder Rodri cautioning that stars were "close" to considering strike action due to the packed schedule, exacerbated by UEFA’s expanded club competitions. Domestic leagues are apprehensive about the Club World Cup's potential detrimental effects on their fixtures, questioning whether teams like Manchester City and Chelsea can maintain peak strength and fitness for the start of the 2025-26 season on August 17.
While some in Europe view the competition with scepticism, it garners much more excitement on other continents. Al Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada hailed it as the "single most important competition of the season" for his team in October.
The group stage will see four groups each featuring two European clubs, but City and Chelsea will not face each other at this phase. Both City and Chelsea secured their spots as Champions League winners in 2023 and 2021, respectively, joining other European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris St Germain, along with South American powerhouses Boca Juniors and Flamengo.
The tournament is set to commence with an opening match involving Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on June 15 next year. Their participation as the host nation team has sparked controversy, given that Miami clinched the regular-season Supporters Shield but fell short of becoming Major League Soccer champions after a defeat to Atlanta in the MLS Cup play-offs. The final is scheduled to take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.
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