FIFA Club World Cup

Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe’s top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world’s best club team.

On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final, PSG’s worst loss in nearly two years.

So ended the first expanded Club World Cup, a tournament manufactured mainly to monetize the sport while lengthening the season six weeks for some teams — both PSG and Chelsea were playing for the 65th time in 48 weeks — and further congesting an already crowded schedule for others. And though it attracted more than 2.4 million fans overall, more than a quarter of the games drew fewer than 17,000 people, four got less than 9,000 and the competition overall averaged about the same attendance as the top 25 summer friendlies played in the U.S. last summer.

That’s after FIFA, the event’s organizer, drastically reduced ticket prices and, in some cases, let people in for free. So why did we play this tournament at all?

Well, the best answer is the Club World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the real World Cup, which will be played at the same time and in some of the same stadiums next year. And if what FIFA learned from the club tournament doesn’t force it back to the drawing board to make some major changes for next summer — especially to kickoff times — it will be an education wasted.

The biggest takeaway was the weather. It was way too hot (and humid and stormy and just generally yucky).

Chelsea played three of its seven games in temperatures described by local weather authorities as “extreme,” meaning people were told to avoid strenuous physical activity or, in some cases, to even avoid going outdoors. (Sunday’s final kicked off in 81-degree temperatures and 69% humidity, conditions that necessitated two hydration breaks.)

“The heat is incredible,” Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said in Spanish before the final. “The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.”

But it’s not just the danger to players FIFA should worry about (although that, clearly, is paramount). The conditions also change the way the game must be played, making it far less attractive to viewers.

“The speed of the game is not the same. Everything becomes very slow,” Fernandez said. “Let’s hope that next year they change the schedule.”

Wydad AC’s Cassius Mailula, center, and Mohamed Moufid try to cool off during a FIFA Club World Cup group match against Al Ain FC in Washington on June 26.

(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press)

For the Club World Cup, many games started at midday or in the early afternoon so they could be broadcast in prime time in Europe and Africa. But the conditions on the field were often oppressive as a result.

MetLife Stadium, where Sunday’s final was played, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final, next summer. And while the kickoff times for that tournament won’t be revealed until the World Cup draw in December, BBC Sport said it has learned FIFA plans to start many East Coast games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time.

FIFA issued a statement earlier this month that suggested it is not taking the problem near seriously enough, touting the hydration breaks, in which matches are halted so players can get a drink, as “significant and progressive measures … being taken to protect the players from the heat.”

FIFPRO, the union representing international soccer players, isn’t being so dismissive.

“From a health and safety perspective, this [extreme heat] is something that must take priority over commercial interests with regards to the safety of the players,” Alexander Bielefeld, the union’s director of policy and strategic relations, said on a conference call. “Heat conditions are not happening in a vacuum. The debate on extreme heat is not happening in a vacuum.

“It’s actually quite foreseeable.”

According to FIFPRO, at least three games at the Club World Cup should have been suspended or postponed because of extreme weather. It was so hot during a group-play game in Cincinnati, in fact, Borussia Dortmund’s bench players stayed in the locker room, watching the first half on TV.

The last World Cup that played in the U.S., in 1994, remains the hottest in history, which is remarkable for a tournament that since been played in Africa and the Middle East. That year Mexico and Ireland faced off in Orlando, Fla., where midday temperatures hit 105 degrees. And it was 100 degrees on the field for the final, which kicked off at noon at the Rose Bowl. (Not surprisingly that game ended in a scoreless draw, as did the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, played at the Rose Bowl under equally as oppressive conditions. Both games were decided in penalty kicks.)

More severe weather is all but certain next year.

“What you’re seeing right now is very typical,” Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told the Athletic. “Next year we may be going through the same thing.

That’s not good since a half-dozen Club World Cup games were delayed or halted by weather this summer, including Chelsea’s round-of-16 win over Benfica in Charlotte, N.C. That match was paused for two hours because of lightning.

“I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. “But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.”

FIFA had a chance to protect its most valuable property, the World Cup final, by scheduling it for one of the four roofed stadiums chosen to host games in the U.S. in 2026. Instead it will tempt fate — and the weather gods — by playing the final at open-air MetLife.

If there were a silver lining to these storm clouds — I’m trying to be positive here — it’s that coaches and players are now keenly aware of what awaits them next summer, giving them ample time to get ready.

“We’re going to come prepared next year,” said Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, a French international. “There’s a lot of players that are doing the Club World Cup that will be doing the World Cup with their countries next year. So I think it’s a good preparation.”

Let’s hope FIFA is preparing as well. Because if the heat was on for the Club World Cup, it will be even warmer for the organizers of the real World Cup next summer.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Cole Palmer scored twice and fed João Pedro for a goal as Chelsea overwhelmed Paris Saint-Germain in the first half and beat the European champions 3-0 on Sunday in the final of the first expanded FIFA Club World Cup.

Palmer had almost identical left-footed goals from just inside the penalty area in the 22nd and 30th minutes, then sent a through pass that enabled João Pedro to chip goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43d for his third goal in two starts with the Blues.

A 23-year-old who joined Chelsea from Manchester City two years ago, Palmer scored 18 goals this season.

PSG finished a man short after João Neves was given a red card in the 84th minute for pulling down Marc Cucurella by his hair. After a testy final few minutes, the teams needed to be separated as PSG coach Luis Enrique and Donnarumma pushed João Pedro near the center circle.

A heavy favorite who had outscored opponents 16-1, PSG had been looking to complete a quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and its first Champions League title.

Before a tournament-high crowd of 81,188 at MetLife Stadium that included U.S. President Donald Trump, Chelsea showed the energy of a fourth day of rest after its semifinal, one more than PSG.

Chelsea players celebrate after winning the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

Chelsea had finished fourth in the Premier League and won the third-tier UEFA Conference League. The Blues took the world title for the second time after 2021, when it was an seven-team event. The Blues earned $128,435,000 to $153,815,000 in prize money, the amount depending on a participation fee FIFA has not disclosed.

PSG had not lost by three goals since a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Newcastle in October 2023.

The Mirror’s TV writer Jake Hackney joined DAZN to watch the FIFA Club World Cup for free, but the streaming platform’s other features left him impressed

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off earlier this month, so the Mirror’s TV writer Jake Hackney set up a free DAZN account to see what all the hype is about. Like many Brits, Jake always linked DAZN with boxing, but as that’s never been his sport, he was yet to truly delve into the platform.

DAZN is now the sole global broadcaster of all 63 matches in the Club World Cup and is showing every game for free. FIFA has really pulled out all the stops with the competition, giving it a makeover with a new format featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs.

Manchester City and Chelsea are flying the flag for the Premier League, along with the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Boca Juniors. The tournament runs until the final on July 13, and football fans can sign up for a free DAZN account to watch every match.

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READ MORE: How to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 for free on UK TV and live stream

As Jake previously told the Mirror, he found it odd not watching football on the BBC or Sky Sports, but given the quality of content and amount of extras available on DAZN, he believes the streaming platform will become more associated with football in the future. Jake opted for the free account, but there’s also the option to upgrade to DAZN’s Premium plan from £9.99.

This includes every Club World Cup match in HDR picture quality and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, plus highlights, replays, fewer adverts and full access to the rest of the DAZN platform. But even with a free account, there’s plenty of football content to keep fans entertained in the gap between the Premier League and EFL seasons.

Watch the Club World Cup free on DAZN

The streaming service is showing all of the FIFA Club World Cup games.

What struck Jake was the sheer volume of content available beyond the live matches, with a plethora of features, shows and compilations readily accessible on the Club World Cup homepage. Interviews with big names such as Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola are featured, along with DAZN’s ‘Icons’ series, which offers an in-depth look at each team and the 12 USA host cities.

Since signing up to DAZN, Jake has found himself engrossed in the amount of documentaries focusing on football greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona and Brazilian Ronaldo. There’s a treasure trove of vintage footage showcasing all the goals scored by specific teams at previous FIFA World Cups, featuring legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Raúl and Didier Drogba.

In short, there’s a feast of content to delve into on DAZN. It’s also straightforward to keep up with the latest competition, with every forthcoming fixture displayed on the Club World Cup homepage complete with dates and kick-off times, as well as the option to view the group brackets and tables, making it simple to stay updated with the current standings.

One can track their favourite teams in the competition to receive a push notification before their games, with Jake following Chelsea and Man City. DAZN sends him reminders about each of their fixtures, though with some kicking off in the early hours, he’ll opt to watch the DAZN highlights instead.

For those who aren’t keen on adding another subscription to their list, DAZN has sublicensed a selection of matches to Channel 5, meaning 23 games will be shown on both DAZN and Channel 5. This could be a good alternative for football fans who aren’t as tech-savvy or don’t mind missing out on some games.

Of course, there’s always the traditional Sky Sports package that costs £35 per month on a 24-month contract, in addition to essential Sky TV. This includes nine dedicated channels, covering the Premier League, Football, Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, Netball and much more, although the length of the contract might be a drawback for some.

DAZN boasts an impressive lineup of pundits for its Club World Cup coverage, including none other than Brazilian legend Ronaldo. Other big names include John Obi Mikel and Sami Khedira, with Conor McNamara, Andros Townsend, Brad Friedel, Rob Green among the commentators, offering a refreshing change from the usual voices on Sky or TNT Sports.

Jake has been using DAZN on both his Samsung smart TV and iPhone 13 and it’s performed largely well. There have been moments where it’s been slightly slow to respond and there’s been a bit of lag, but once a live game or documentary has loaded up, he has encountered no major problems.

Heimo Schirgi’s first big job in soccer was as head of operations for UEFA, the largest and most influential of the global game’s six geographic confederations. Part of that job involved planning and managing the UEFA Champions League, the largest and most influential club soccer competition in the world.

So when Schirgi moved into his current job as FIFA’s chief operating officer for the World Cup, he brought with him the knowledge that the Champions League, for all its prestige and gravitas, also had one weakness: its field was limited to the 55 soccer-playing countries of Europe.

“You have all these club competitions on a confederation, continental level, right?” he said. “But you don’t have it on a global level. You never had clubs from South America competing against European clubs in a serious tournament with high stakes.

“I’m personally interested how the rest of the world’s clubs are going to fare. There’s only one way to find out.”

That one way is the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicked off in the U.S. 10 days ago. And while the tournament has many flaws, it has gone a long way toward answering Schirgi’s curiosity. Europe, it seems, isn’t so dominant after all.

Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning European champion, lost to Botafogo, currently eighth in Brazil’s Serie A. Iconic English club Chelsea was beaten handily by Flamengo, another Brazilian team. Mexico’s Monterrey played Inter Milan, the Champions League runner-up, to a draw. Real Madrid, Europe’s most decorated club, tied Al Hilal, which finished second in the Saudi Pro League.

And Spanish power Atlético Madrid, which made the round of 16 in the Champions League, didn’t even make it out of the group stage.

Those results may still prove to be little more than a stumble on the way to an all-European final four. Or not. And that uncertainty, Schirgi insists, is why the Club World Cup was created.

“Our sport is a sport where underdogs have a genuine chance, right?” he said. “It’s not just the money game. We know that club soccer is at a very high level.”

The real winners through the tournament’s first 34 games have been Latin American teams: Five of the six South American clubs entered Monday unbeaten, as did Mexico’s Monterrey. And if there’s been a big loser, it’s arguably been Major League Soccer, which has shown it’s not ready to play with the big boys.

Although the U.S. league made history when Inter Miami beat Porto 2-1 in a group-stage game, marking the first time an MLS club has beaten a European team in a competitive match, the league’s other two entries — LAFC and the Seattle Sounders — combined for just two goals and were shut out three times in their first five games, all losses.

But if the first Club World Cup has proven to be surprisingly entertaining, even compelling, there have been a few hiccups. Attendance was hurt by several early weekday kickoffs and high admission prices, which forced FIFA to essentially start giving away tickets. The average announced attendance of 36,043 through the first 34 games was matched by nearly as many empty seats.

Just one game has sold out; six others drew fewer than 14,100 fans.

Porto’s Rodrigo Mora tries to cool off after the FIFA Club World Cup group match on Monday.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

The weather has also proven difficult with several players complaining about the heat and humidity. It was so bad in Cincinnati last Saturday, Borussia Dortmund’s substitutes watched the first half on TV in the dressing room. And it’s only going to get worse. Temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees on Tuesday in New Jersey, where Porto plays Al Ahly, and an excessive heat warning has been issued in Philadelphia, where Chelsea and Esperance de Tunis meet.

High 90s temperatures are also forecast Tuesday for Nashville, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C., where afternoon games are scheduled. That, however, will serve as a wake-up call for next summer’s World Cup, which will be played in similar conditions.

Perhaps the most complex problem FIFA faces in attempting to make the Club World Cup a significant quadrennial event, however, is the crowded fixture schedule. The World Cup will expand from 64 to 104 games next summer. Recent years have seen tournaments such as the Nations League added to the international calendar while club competitions including the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup expanded.

Others, such as the Leagues Cup, were created out of whole cloth.

As a result some players have played more than 70 matches for club and country in the last year. The fixture schedule has become so packed that the only place left to accommodate a monthlong tournament such as the Club World Cup was the traditional early summer break between one European season and the next.

FIFPRO, the global union representing soccer players, has cited scientific research in its call for a mandatory four-week break each year. FIFA, the Club World Cup organizer, responded by offering a $1 billion prize-money purse to get teams to play through that break.

“With the introduction of the new Champions League format and the new Club World Cup, which extends for over a month, the workload on teams and players has increased significantly,” said Giuseppe Marotta, chairman and chief executive officer of Inter Milan. “However these competitions also represent a huge opportunity in terms of visibility and revenue. For this reasons, they must be safeguarded.

“Adjustments should instead be made to the rest of the calendar to lighten the overall load.”

Marotta suggests shortening league schedules, which means diminishing domestic competitions while giving more power to the likes of FIFA and UEFA. That could be a slippery slope, one that would make the world’s game less local and more global.

But if the Club World Cup follows the trajectory of the Champions League, Schirgi thinks that’s a trade worth making.

“The beginnings of the Champions League, it was not always this huge, great event,” he said. “There is a lot of growth that needs to happen and a lot of education. We are super excited that we are part of history.”

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

NASHVILLE — Youcef Belaili scored in the 70th minute as Espérance Sportive de Tunis ended LAFC‘s hopes of advancing out of group play at the FIFA Club World Cup in a 1-0 victory Friday night.

LAFC had one final chance to tie it in the 99th minute on Denis Bouanga’s right-footed shot off a penalty kick just in front, but goalkeeper Béchir Ben Säid smothered it.

LAFC has been shut out in both of its Club World Cup matches. It had two goals wiped out by offsides in the first half.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were in the crowd of 13,651 at 30,000-seat GEODIS Park on a steamy late afternoon.

After a back-and-forth pace, Belaili came through with a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner through goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ legs.

ES Tunis will finish the round Tuesday night against Chelsea, with second place in Group D and a spot in the round of 16 on the line.

The FIFA Club World Cup is just six days old, but it has already provided a mixed bag of memorable experiences for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose trip to Southern California with Paris Saint-Germain marked his first visit to the U.S.

“I was in shock,” the veteran winger said. “It’s very beautiful here. I like it very much. One day we [went] bowling. And played mini golf. I was thinking when I finish football, to come to live.”

Then there’s the soccer, where not all the memories have been good ones.

After contributing two assists to a win in PSG’s tournament opener, Kvaratskhelia was unable to get any of his game-high five shots past goalkeeper John Victor in Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Brazilian club Botafogo before an announced crowd of 53,699 at the Rose Bowl.

The upset, the tournament’s most shocking result so far, snapped PSG’s win streak at six games in all competition, marked the first time it has been held scoreless since March 5 and leaves in doubt the team’s spot in the second round. Botafogo (2-0) leads the four-team group with PSG and Atlético Madrid (both 1-1) tied for second with a game remaining. With just two teams moving on, PSG will need a victory over the Sounders on Monday in Seattle to advance.

A draw would also send it through if Atlético Madrid loses its final group-stage match with Botafogo.

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard for PSG, the reigning French and European champion and a heavy pre-tournament favorite. Botafogo, which won last year’s Copa Libertadores, is the reigning South American champion, but it is just eighth in Brazil’s 20-team Serie A 11 matches into the current season.

Whether Thursday’s upset helps the struggling Club World Cup find an audience, it’s far too early to tell. But it can’t hurt, especially since Inter Miami also made history Thursday with a second-half goal from Lionel Messi in a 2-1 win over FC Porto, marking the first victory by an MLS club over a European rival in a competitive match.

Igor Jesus of Botafogo celebrates after scoring against Paris Saint-Germain in FIFA Club World Cup group play Thursday.

(Jam Media / Getty Images)

The Club World Cup is the largest and most lucrative global club competition in soccer history but attendance has lagged in the early going, averaging just 36,433 through 20 matches. Nearly half the seats have been empty.

Six games have drawn more than 50,000 fans, including both of Paris Saint-Germain’s matches at the Rose Bowl. But two got fewer than 5,300, with just 3,412 showing up in Orlando for a game between South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and South Korea’s Ulsan HD and 5,282 for Pachuca-RB Salzburg at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

And that’s despite the fact that FIFA, alarmed at the slow pace of ticket sales, slashed prices on the eve of the tournament.

“The atmosphere was a bit strange,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said after his team beat LAFC in its tournament opener before nearly 50,000 empty seats at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “This is a world tournament. It deserves more.”

That the competition hasn’t produced more interest is largely FIFA’s fault. World soccer’s governing body has been unable to convince fans or players that the tournament — a 32-team, month-long competition wedged between the end of one European season and the start of the next — was necessary, or even desired.

And until Thursday the tournament had produced little real excitement, with three of the first nine matches — including the opener featuring Messi and Inter Miami — ending in scoreless draws while Bayern Munich, ranked sixth in the world in the Opta Power Rankings, beat Auckland City, ranked 5,068 places lower, 10-0.

With many games kicking off at midday or in the early afternoon, the hot and sticky summer weather has also been a factor on both the play and the attendance. Powerful Real Madrid, playing with Kylian Mbappe in 89-degree temperatures and 71% humidity in suburban Miami, struggled to a draw against Saudi club Al-Hilal while Atlético Madrid wilted under bright summer skies at the Rose Bowl in its first game.

“Playing in this heat is impossible,” Atlético’s Marcos Llorente told reporters. “The heat is terrible. My toes hurt, even my toenails.

“No one in Europe is used to it. I couldn’t stop or start running. It’s unbelievable, but since it’s the same for everyone there’s no point complaining.”

It will be no cooler next year when the real World Cup returns to North America for the first time in 32 years. And in that sense, this summer’s tournament is making good on one of its aims by exposing national team players to the kind of weather, travel and atmosphere they can expect then.

“We’re going to come prepared next year,” said Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, who played in the 2022 World Cup final for France. “It’s good preparation to manage the jet lag. America is very big. You get can a taste of what you will get next year. It’s a great preparation.”

As for Thursday’s game, Kvaratskhelia, PSG’s most dangerous attacker, was frustrated twice in the first 10 minutes, with Victor batting down his first shot and the second curling wide of the far post. That allowed Igor Jesus to put Botafogo in front to stay shortly before the intermission, splitting a pair of PSG defenders to run on to Jefferson Savarino’s perfectly weighted through ball, then beating keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from the top of the box.

It was the first goal PSG has allowed in 366 minutes in all competition and it was all Botafogo would need, although Savarino nearly doubled the lead eight minutes into the second half, putting a strong header on goal that Donnarumma batted down.

Bradley Barcola appeared to tie the score in the 79th minute, but two PSG players were well offside on the play. Then on the first touch of stoppage time, Kvaratskhelia sent a free kick just over the crossbar.

PSG dominated statistically, controlling the ball for three-quarters of the game, making more than three times as many passes, taking 10 corners to one for the Brazilians and outshooting Botafogo 16-4. But all four of Botafogo’s shots were on target while Victor was called on to make just two saves.

Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this story.

It’s been just 18 days since Inter Milan played its last game, losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final. But a lot has happened since then.

The team parted ways with manager Simone Inzaghi, who led it to two European finals in three seasons, and replaced him with Cristian Chivu. It temporarily lost the services of forward Mehdi Taremi, who had returned to his native Iran earlier this month and became stranded there when Israeli attacks closed the airspace over much of the Mideast.

Then the rest of the second-best club in Europe traveled 6,000 miles from Milan to Los Angeles, where it opened the FIFA Club World Cup on Tuesday in a 1-1 draw with Mexican club Monterrey before an announced crowd of 40,311 at the Rose Bowl.

“We’re trying to focus. And it’s not easy every day, I’m not going to lie,” said forward Marcus Thuram, whose 18 goals in all competition was second on the team this season. “But it’s part of what we do, we love what we do and we’ll continue doing what we do.”

Only doing what they do has become far more complicated and exhausting in recent years as the competition schedule for both club and country has expanded.

Thuram’s father, Lilian, was widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his era during an 18-year career that saw him win two Serie A titles, a European championship and play in two World Cup finals, winning one. But he appeared in 46 or more club matches in a season just four times before retiring in 2008.

His 27-year-old son has done that in each of the past two seasons. And if Inter makes it to the final of the Club World Cup, he’ll wind up playing 55 games in 11 months. That doesn’t count his 10 appearances for the French national team since last June.

Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram stands on the field during a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final on May 31.

(Luca Bruno / Associated Press)

“We were prepared for that at the beginning of the season. It’s not like they announced that at the end of the season,” Thuram, who came off the bench early in the second half Tuesday, said of the Club World Cup. “We knew it was going to be a long season.”

But how long is too long? In their ravenous quest for revenue, soccer clubs, leagues and governing bodies have crowded the calendar with invented competitions that have drained both fans’ bank accounts and players’ energy levels.

The Club World Cup is a perfect example. Although the tournament has been around since 2000, before this summer it never had more than eight teams and was held at one site during a 10-day break in the European season. This year it’s expanded into a 32-team, monthlong competition that will be played in 11 cities spread across a continent.

If Inter Milan makes it to next month’s final, its players will have just a couple of weeks off before reporting to training camp for the next Serie A season, which opens Aug. 23. With the World Cup also expanding next summer, national team players such as Thuram could play more than 70 games in 44 weeks and more than 120 games over two seasons.

That’s clearly unsustainable.

“A serious dialogue is needed between FIFA, UEFA, leagues, clubs and players to redesign an international calendar that protects the health of players and maintains the quality of games,” said Giuseppe Marotta, chairman and chief executive officer of Inter Milan. “With the introduction of the new Champions League format and the new Club World Cup, the workload on teams and players has clearly increased significantly.”

Yet clubs such as Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain (which played 58 games this season) and Manchester City (57 games) are drawn to the extra competitions for the same reason as the organizers who put them on: the money. The Club World Cup, now the largest and most ambitious global club tournament in history, is also the most lucrative, with a prize-money purse of $1 billion. The winner could take home $125 million, more than PSG got for winning the Champions League.

But it was forced into a gap in the schedule that really didn’t exist before.

“It’s undeniable that this event, positioned between two different seasons, is forcing us to do extra work and rethink what the traditional summer periods looks like for a football club,” Marotta said. “However these competitions also represent a huge opportunity in terms of visibility and revenue, often exceeding that of traditional competitions.”

The Club World Cup allows teams to face rivals from other continents, expanding their international following and generating additional revenue streams by planting the team’s flag in new markets and introducing its players to new fans.

“The goal is to tell the American public who we are and what values have always guided us,” Marotta said.

“It’s not about proving how good we are,” he added of the tournament. “It’s about contributing to the development of global football.”

To accommodate it, Marotta said, changes will have to be made. For example Italy’s Serie A could compact from 20 to 18 teams, the same as in the German Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1. That would mean four fewer league games per year; not a dramatic reduction, but a start.

Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, left, and Monterrey’s Victor Guzman battle for control of the ball during Tuesday’s FIFA Club World Cup match at the Rose Bowl.

(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

Until that happens, Thuram said the players will continue doing what they do for as long as they can do it.

“It’s about doing everything every day to prepare your body for these extreme games and extreme competition. Because soccer at the highest level is extreme for the body. It’s tough,” he said. “But we have a lot of coaches, we have chefs, we have everything that is set up for us perfectly.”

As for the game, Milan dominated statistically, controlling the ball for more than 55 of the 90 minutes and outshooting Monterrey 15-9. But it couldn’t make that advantage count.

All the scoring came in a 20-minute span of the first half with the ageless Sergio Ramos putting Monterrey in front with a header in the 25th minute and Lautaro Martinez pulling that back for Milan three minutes before the intermission.

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on Saturday so our TV writer Jake Hackney registered for a free DAZN account to catch all the action, here’s what he made of the streamer.

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off over the weekend so I bagged myself a free DAZN account to see what all the fuss is about. Like many Brits, I’ve always associated DAZN with boxing, but as that’s never been my sport I’m yet to truly explore the platform.

DAZN is now the exclusive global broadcaster of all 63 fixtures in the Club World Cup and is airing every game for free, which is definitely more my bag. FIFA has really gone all out with this competition, revamping it with a new format featuring 32 of the best clubs from around the world.

There’s Manchester City and Chelsea representing the Premier League, plus the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Boca Juniors. The competition runs through to the final on July 13, and fans can register for a free DAZN account to watch every fixture.

READ MORE: How to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 for free on UK TV and live stream

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It certainly feels strange not watching football on the BBC or Sky Sports, but considering the quality of content and amount of extras on offer, I wouldn’t be surprised if DAZN becomes more synonymous with football in the coming years. I opted for the free account, but there’s also the option to upgrade to DAZN’s Premium plan from £9.99.

This includes every Club World Cup game in HDR picture quality and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, plus highlights, replays, fewer adverts and full access to the rest of the DAZN platform. But even with a free account, there’s plenty of football content to keep fans entertained in the lull between the Premier League and EFL seasons.

Watch the Club World Cup free on DAZN

The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world’s best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13.

Fans can watch every match live and for free by signing up to DAZN.

What struck me was how much there is to watch besides the live games, with countless features, shows and compilations right there on the Club World Cup homepage. There’s interviews with some of the big names taking part including Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola, as well as DAZN’s ‘Icons’ series, which takes a closer look at each team and the 12 USA host cities.

I’ve also been enjoying the plethora of documentaries centred around greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona and Brazilian Ronaldo. There’s a host of vintage footage featuring all the goals scored by certain teams at previous FIFA World Cups, starring legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Raúl and Didier Drogba.

In short, there’s plenty to tuck into. But it’s easy to follow the latest competition too, with every upcoming fixture displayed on the Club World Cup homepage complete with dates and kick-off times, as well as the option to display the group brackets and tables, making it easy to keep up to date with the current standings.

You can follow your favourite teams in the competition to receive a push notification before their games, so I followed Chelsea and Man City. DAZN now reminds me about each of their fixtures just in case I forget – though as some kick off in the early hours, I think I’ll wait for their DAZN highlights.

For those who don’t want to sign up for another subscription, DAZN has also sublicensed select fixtures to Channel 5, meaning 23 games will be broadcast on both DAZN and 5. This may be a good option for less tech-savvy football fans who are not bothered about every game.

Of course, there’s also a classic Sky Sports which can be purchased for £35 a month for a 24-month contract alongside essential Sky TV. This includes nine dedicated channels, including the Premier League, Football, Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, Netball and much more, though the length of contract may be a downside for some.

DAZN boasts some huge names in its Club World Cup punditry lineup, including none other than Brazilian legend Ronaldo. Other stars include John Obi Mikel and Sami Khedira, with Conor McNamara, Andros Townsend, Brad Friedel, Rob Green among the commentators, which makes a nice change from the usual voices on Sky or TNT Sports.

I’ve been using DAZN on both my Samsung smart TV and iPhone 13 and it’s performed largely ok. There have been times where it’s been slightly slow to respond and there’s been a bit of lag, but once a piece of content like a live game or documentary has loaded up I’ve experienced no major issues.