(Reuters) – According to the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, the revamped Club World Cup planned for 2025 will include 32 teams and will be held from June 15 to July 13. In addition, a new Intercontinental Cup will be played annually starting next year. FIFA had previously announced an expanded Club World Cup, and the United States has been unanimously voted as the hosts for the first edition of the event. The FIFA Council met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to confirm the dates for the Club World Cup and to announce the new Intercontinental Cup.
Infantino also stated that next year’s Intercontinental Cup will have the UEFA Champions League winner playing a team that comes through intercontinental playoffs. He further elaborated, “The tournament will feature all current confederation premier club competition champions and concludes with a final at a neutral venue between the UEFA Champions League winners and the winners of an intercontinental play-off between clubs from the other confederations.”
In addition to these updates, the Council decided that Chile will host the Under-20 World Cup in 2025, while Poland will host the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in 2026. The decisions were made during the meeting in Saudi Arabia. The meeting was held to discuss and confirm various important dates and host countries for upcoming FIFA events. Infantino announced these updates on Sunday, as he continues to steer the world soccer’s governing body in a new direction.
The news comes as a promising development for soccer fans around the world, as the revamped Club World Cup and the announcement of a new Intercontinental Cup are expected to add a new dimension to the sport. It will bring together clubs from various confederations and provide an opportunity for fans to see top clubs compete in a major international tournament. The decision to hold the Club World Cup from June 15 to July 13 also ensures that the tournament will be held during the summer, providing an exciting competition during that period.
Overall, the decisions made at the FIFA Council meeting in Jeddah are expected to have a significant impact on the future of international soccer. With the addition of new tournaments and the allocation of hosting rights to different countries, the global reach of the sport is set to expand in the coming years. These developments mark an important step for FIFA and its efforts to grow and diversify the world of soccer.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
