Mamelodi Sundowns could be among the big losers following reports that the expanded FIFA Club World Cup is threatened by cancellation owing to a myriad of challenges.
The 32-team tournament is scheduled to take place in the United States from June 2025 but by now, FIFA is struggling to attract sponsorship, has not secured match and training venues and there are no bids for TV coverage.
According to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, the tournament could fail to take place if the aforementioned are not secured on time while players have also voiced their displeasure while some unions are seeking legal redress over what they term a congested calendar.
A lot is at stake for the 32 participating teams
The biggest challenge is the absence of a broadcasting deal which is supposed to bring in the much-needed revenue with each of the participating clubs believed to be entitled to at least $50 million (R1 billion).
The outlet reports that FIFA initially sought a partnership with Apple for global streaming rights but the discussion fell apart and that they launched a tender in July to woo sponsors for the 2025 and 2029 tournaments but no bids were received from key markets.
Potential sponsors are also reluctant to commit due to the uncertainty surrounding the training and match venues as without them, they are not able to assess the tournament’s value.
Who else is participating in the Club World Cup?
It leaves FIFA in a difficult place amid ongoing push from players’ unions in Europe to cancel the tournament as it infringes on their rights under the European Union’s labour laws.
Sundowns are among African teams set to participate in the tournament alongside Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Esperance of Tunisia and Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club, currently coached by Rulani Mokwena.
European champions Real Madrid, Premier League giants Manchester City and Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich are among top teams from Europe set to participate.
