The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was, in many ways, a mixed bag. Record-breaking heat and violent storms were a major hassle. And while the final between Chelsea and PSG at the MetLife Stadium saw a turnout of 81,118, full stadiums were hardly the norm during the tournament. In fact, four games even failed to attract more than 10,000 fans, with the lowest attendance being 3,412 at the game between Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD.

However, despite such issues, the Club World Cup was a huge financial success, having earned a revenue of over $2 billion. “We’ve generated revenue of more than $2bn. That’s $31m per game. No other club tournament comes close,” said an ecstatic FIFA president Gianni Infantino as reported by EuroFoot. The participating clubs, too, had a more than satisfactory payday, which is why some of them want the apex soccer body to reconsider the four-year gap between each edition of the tournament.

Per a recent report by ESPN, Real Madrid, who ended their Club World Cup 2025 journey in the semi-finals, and some other clubs in South America and Europe have requested FIFA to organize the Club World Cup every two years. While no official requests have been made, sources told ESPN that the executives of several top clubs discussed the possibility of the same with the representatives of FIFA. The apex soccer body, however, despite being impressed with the yield of the tournament, has deemed the proposal to be “unfeasible”.

Looking at the massive pool of prize money it had for the CWC, FIFA thinks it will not be possible to generate $1B every two years. FIFA split the $1 billion prize pool into two parts: a $525 million Participation Pillar and a $475 million Sporting Performance Pillar. Under the Participation Pillar, UEFA clubs received between $12.81 million and $38.19 million each, while CONMEBOL clubs got a flat $15.21 million. The $475 million performance pot was handed out in stage-by-stage bonuses:

• $2M per group-stage win

• $1M per draw

• $7.5M (Round of 16)

• $13.125M (Quarterfinals)

• $21M (Semifinals)

• $30M (Runner-up)

• $40M (Champion)

The champions, Chelsea, walked away with an estimated $114.6m per The Athletic. Runners-up PSG also managed to top $100 million, while Real Madrid were the third-highest earners with $82.5 million. But it’s not only about managing the financial side, but there is also the issue of maintaining a healthy relationship with UEFA. 

The global football calendar is already packed with domestic leagues, continental tournaments, and international matches. Adding another event could overwhelm players and clubs. According to ESPN, FIFA is also cautious about upsetting UEFA. But while clubs are fighting for the biennial Club World Cup, there is also a tight tussle going on between countries for hosting the cup. 

Qatar or Brazil? Race heats up to host 2029 Club World Cup

With PSG (France), Cruz Azul (Mexico), Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia), and Pyramids (Egypt) already qualified for the next edition of the Club World Cup, a decision on the host country is yet to be made. However, though FIFA has not made it official yet, according to ESPN, Qatar is most likely to be given the responsibility. The major reason for Qatar’s candidature could be its existing 2022 World Cup infrastructure and strong relationship with FIFA. But there is another big contender in this race—Brazil. 

Brazil’s push to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup has gained momentum. The CBF president, Samir Xaud, publicly backed the bid during a high-profile federation summit in Miami, held alongside the World Cup. FIFA reportedly is open to this, too.

And the main reason behind it could be  Brazil’s ability to reuse the modern stadiums and infrastructure being prepared for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Let’s see who will get the opportunity to host the magnanimous football tournament.