The winner of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in USA will be receiving up to $125 million : FIFA. The tournament, which will be held from June 14 to July 13, has a total prize pool of $1 billion, a windfall for the clubs involved.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino guaranteed that all the money would be distributed between clubs, rather than kept by FIFA. And about half the prize money will be distributed to all 32 teams based on sporting and commercial criteria, so clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid will get greater share.
The other $475 million will be distributed on the basis of performance, with the champions able to earn all the way up to $125 million.
But there still are concerns about player welfare. England captain Harry Kane pointed to the intense schedule, with meager periods for players to rest between seasons. Kane has echoed those concerns but remains upbeat about the competition, adding Bayern Munich’s aim is “to win it.”
The new-look biennial Club World Cup does hold out the prospect of lucrative cash payments — but fatigue caused by the fixture churn it creates is a nuts and bolts problem for world soccer.
