In 2025, the Club World Cup will change format. Twelve European teams will be able to participate. According to The Telegraph, the Premier League is concerned about the consequences of such a competition, particularly in terms of future TV rights.
What if the Premier League lost its supremacy? According The Telegraphthe English league is beginning to fear that the FIFA Club World Cup will become a Super League in disguise … and that this will have consequences for TV rights.
From 2025, FIFA plans to change the format of the Club World Cup. Exit the tournament with seven teams where each team winning its continental competition participated. The new format will be similar to that of the last World Cups. There will be 32 teams (12 from Europe, 6 from South America, 4 from CONCACAF, 4 from Africa, 4 from Asia, 1 from Oceania and 1 host team of the tournament). Each country will be limited to a maximum of two clubs unless three clubs from the same country win the Champions League between 2021 and 2024. The competition will be held every 4 years over a month.
According to The Telegraph, the Premier League is worried about the future evolution of the Club World Cup for several reasons. Elitism, but above all TV rights. Several clubs in the English championship (outside the top 6) fear that, with this qualification system for the European zone, the financial gap will be even deeper with the major clubs.
Al-Khelaïfi’s ECA to the rescue of the Premier League?
In addition, the concern would start to grow with in particular the national TV rights which could, consequently, be less important than the income from broadcasting international competitions. The role of the ECA (European Club Association) is said to be closely watched by Premier League clubs in this matter. Most clubs in the English championship would like to be defended by the association led by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. While the president of PSG recently said he was in favor of expanding the Club World Cup.
The World Leagues Forum, of which Richard Masters (current Premier League chief executive) is chairman, had described the new format of the Club World Cup as having “adverse consequences for the economics of football and the welfare players.” La Liga had published a press release criticizing FIFA’s “unilateral” decisions, in particular the calendar imposed on clubs and players.
Alongside the Club World Cup and possible fears of a Super League in disguise, the real Super League project in Europe is still well and truly underway.