The Club World Cup could be hosted by the United States for a second consecutive time as FIFA considers taking the tournament back there in 2029.
The U.S. will host the inaugural edition of the revamped Club World Cup next summer, before hosting the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Last week, FIFA announced a global $1billion free-to-air broadcast deal with DAZN for the 2025 Club World Cup and then conducted the draw for the tournament at a glitzy event in Miami.
The decision to award the U.S. with the 2029 Club World Cup would have to go through the FIFA Council and that is yet to happen.
Should the U.S. host the 2029 edition, it would add to the unprecedented trail of international soccer events held in the country. This would be their sixth major tournament in just eight years, which started this summer with the men’s Copa America.
The U.S. will host the first expanded men’s Club World Cup next year, the men’s World Cup in 2026, the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, potentially the 2029 Club World Cup and then end their historic run by hosting the women’s World Cup in 2031.
Part of the thinking behind taking the Club World Cup back to America in 2029 is that it would enable FIFA to consolidate U.S. sponsors for this tournament, as well as having a legacy event following the 2026 men’s World Cup. It would also suit clubs, with the U.S. a priority market for many leading European teams, many of whom have chosen to spend their pre-seasons traversing the country to build their profile stateside. Spain’s La Liga has also been attempting to take a competitive league match to Miami.
Gearing up for the 2025 Club World Cup
- Trump and Infantino: Club World Cup draw becomes a tale of two presidents
- Explained: FIFA and DAZN’s $1billion broadcast deal for the 2025 Club World Cup
- Group tables, how teams qualified and the full fixture list
The U.S. will likely face competition from other countries to host the 2029 Club World Cup, though.
James Johnson, Football Australia’s chief executive, told the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2023 that he would consider bidding for the hosting rights.
“It’s going to grow, over the years,” said Johnson, who previously worked under FIFA president Gianni Infantino at football’s world governing body until 2018. “Gianni really grew the Champions League at UEFA, he knows what it takes to do that.
“To one day have the best club teams coming to our shores (would be) only good for Australian football. That’s something we could look at, as well as the men’s World Cup.”
Next year’s Club World Cup involves 32 teams, including Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, with Inter Miami and Al Ahly getting the competition underway on June 14.
FIFA declined to comment when approached.
(Eva Marie Uzcategui – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
