By Seyi Babalola
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which is ongoing in the United States, has attracted much criticism owing to its larger 32-team format and several logistical and ethical concerns.
Here are five major controversies surrounding the competition:
Player welfare and calendar congestion
The tournament’s scheduling during the customary summer off-season has sparked strong criticism from player unions such as FIFPRO and the World Leagues Forum.
With only five weeks until the 2025-26 Premier League season begins, the additional matches are viewed as putting players at risk of exhaustion and injury. Critics, like Kevin De Bruyne, claim that FIFA prioritises financial gain over player health.
Financial disparities and lukewarm commercial interest
FIFA projected billions in revenue, but broadcasters and sponsors have shown limited enthusiasm.
A $1 billion broadcast deal with DAZN, reportedly backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, salvaged the tournament, but earlier negotiations with Apple collapsed.
Additionally, European clubs are expected to receive 70% of the revenue, leaving non-European teams with significantly less, exacerbating financial inequalities.
High ticket prices and lagging sales have also forced FIFA to slash prices by up to 50%.
Opaque qualification criteria
The four-year qualification period (2021-2024) has been criticised for excluding major clubs like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Napoli, who are current domestic league champions.
The criticism is due to FIFA’s complex ranking system and a cap of two teams per nation unless they have won the Champions League.
This has raised questions about the tournament’s credibility and fairness, with some arguing the criteria favour certain clubs and fail to reflect current form.
Multi-club ownership issues
FIFA’s rules prohibiting teams with shared ownership led to the controversial removal of Mexican club León, owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also owns Pachuca.
Despite León qualifying via the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, they were replaced after a complaint from Costa Rican club Alajuelense, with a playoff between LAFC and Club América determining the replacement.
The decision highlighted inconsistencies in applying multi-club ownership rules, especially as MLS’s single-entity structure raised similar concerns.
Chelsea vs. Benfica match suspension
The two-hour suspension of the Chelsea vs. Benfica match highlighted systemic issues with the 2025 Club World Cup, including inadequate planning for U.S. weather conditions, the strain on players in an already packed calendar, and logistical challenges for fans and broadcasters.
The disruptions underscored broader criticisms of FIFA’s management of the expanded tournament, raising concerns about its feasibility and the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
The match was halted in the 86th minute with Chelsea leading 1-0 due to a severe thunderstorm warning in the Charlotte area. U.S. safety regulations, enforced by FIFA protocols, mandate an immediate suspension of play when lightning is detected within a 10-mile radius of the stadium.
The game was paused for at least 30 minutes, with the timer resetting for each subsequent lightning strike.
Ultimately, the delay lasted 113 minutes, resuming just under two hours later, resulting in a match duration of four hours and 38 minutes.
This was the sixth weather-related suspension in the tournament, following earlier interruptions in matches like Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly and RB Salzburg vs. Pachuca.
The above controversies have fuelled arguments regarding the tournament’s importance, fairness, and influence on the global football scene, with some parties, such as LaLiga President Javier Tebas, even advocating for its termination.
