The first edition of the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on June 14th as Inter Miami played 12-time African champions Al Ahly to a 0-0 draw, thanks to outstanding performances from both goalkeepers. On June 16th, the tournament will travel to Atlanta’s own Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Across the next month, the likes of Manchester City, Porto and Chelsea will grace the turf at MBS in a sequence of six matches. These teams make up part of the pool of 32 teams from six continents, who will play in 10 other cities across the nation from Cincinnati and Charlotte to Nashville and New York.
Atlanta United are unfortunate absentees, as only Miami, Seattle and Los Angeles FC qualified from the United States through three distinct pathways: Miami as the official host team, Seattle as the winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and LAFC as play-in tournament winners.
Atlanta’s absence aside, the tournament has not come without controversy for two reasons in particular: calendar congestion and player pay.
Modern soccer is truly a year-round affair. The 2024-25 club season kicked off in August in most nations outside the United States, and many players will be coming into the Club World Cup having already played upwards of 50 games across the year. To the average baseball or basketball fan this may not seem impressive, but, considering that the average player runs over six miles a game, the toll on players’ bodies adds up.
As players fight for their physical welfare, those who play in the United States as a part of Major League Soccer are in a financial dispute. The Major League Soccer Players Association is in an ongoing negotiation with league executives, demanding a greater share of the Club World Cup prize pool. On June 1, Seattle Sounders players warmed up in shirts reading “Club World Cup Ca$h Grab,” and the hashtag #FairShareNow has made waves on social media, with players from all three participating American clubs posting on the issue.
In the midst of these events, FIFA — soccer’s international governing body — hopes to establish the Club World Cup as one of the biggest tournaments in the sport, sitting at the table with the World Cup, European Championship, Copa America and UEFA Champions League.
The city of Atlanta will be eyeing this event as part of the run up to the World Cup it will host in 2026 — a run up that has already included hosting matches for the Copa America in 2024. Next summer, the city’s vibrant, growing soccer community will be opening its arms to the world, as the Peach State hosts its first event of this magnitude since the 1996 Olympic Games.
The post First Club World Cup kicks off amid controversy appeared first on Technique.