FIFA: FIFA president Gianni Infantinno announces a 32-team men’s club world cup

The International Association of Football Federation (FIFA) led by its president Gianni Infantino has annouced the creation of a new world tournament that will involve football clubs around the world. This tournament will be called the FIFA club world cup and will be played by 32 qualified football clubs around the world with its first edition to scheduled for 2025. Initially this initiative was scheduled to take place in China in 2021 with 24 teams but due to the COVID19 pandemic it had to be postponed and now FIFA is ready to Launch in 2025 with an expansion of 32 teams.

Infantino also discussed on plans to expand the current FIFA world cup 32 group stage teams to 48. The 32 group stage teams concept was launched in 1998 with 32 teams grouped into 8 groups, with each group containing 4 teams. However, this could change in the next coming world cup with 48 teams either grouped into 16 groups of 3 teams or 12 groups of 4 teams as explained by the FIFA president Gianni Infantino in a recent interview that took place in Qatar. He said;

“I have to say that after this World Cup and the success of the groups of four, and looking as well at some other competitions like the Euros for example where you have 24 teams and the top two plus the best third ones go to the next stage.

“Here, the groups of four have been absolutely incredible in the sense that until the last minute of the last match, you wouldn’t know who goes through. We will have to revisit or at least rediscuss the format – whether we go for 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four. This is something that will certainly be on the agenda in the next meetings.”