Creating the Ideal 2021 FIFA Club World Cup

Every December, FIFA hosts a Club World Cup in relative obscurity, and I have never understood why.

The World Cup, for both the men’s and women’s versions, captivate the entire world. It was on display again this summer when the U.S. Women’s National Team took on Donald Trump, while the English women delivered ratings that surpassed even the Champions League in the United Kingdom.

So when I read that FIFA was looking to develop a true Club World Cup starting in 2021, I was immediately intrigued. Finally, I thought, we’re getting somewhere. How cool would it be to have each country send their best team to find out which club is truly the best in the world.

Of course, in true FIFA fashion, it’s going nowhere quickly. The initial proposal for a 24-team Club World Cup was opposed by UEFA, as FIFA also wanted to create a “worldwide Nations League” that is obviously a threat to Europe’s Champions League.

Furthermore, FIFA wants to set up the Club World Cup like the actual World Cup, with several slots granted to each Confederation, such as UEFA or CONCACAF, and allowing each group to devise their own way of determining representatives.

It’s a mess before it’s even started, which is a shame, because developing a FIFA Club World Cup should be so easy.