EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Standing in the opulent lobby of Trump Tower on Saturday, just a day before the Club World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium between Chelsea and PSG, FIFA president Gianni Infantino demonstrated a level of audacity reminiscent of the building’s namesake.
This audacity reflects a disregard for discretion—something former president Sepp Blatter attempted to maintain before his clandestine dealings were exposed.
There is an undeniable stench emanating from the top of FIFA, and the Club World Cup has only intensified scrutiny, particularly regarding the late, lucrative broadcast deal with DAZN, a streaming service branded as the “Netflix of Sports.”
Less than a year before the revamped Club World Cup—transformed from an annual afterthought into a quadrennial centerpiece serving as a prelude to the 2026 World Cup in the U.S.—it lacked a TV deal for the new format.
Broadcast giants BBC and Sky abstained from bidding. ITV proposed a zero-dollar bid, predicting such low interest that Infantino would have to offer the rights for free.
In December, DAZN emerged unexpectedly with a $1 billion proposal, an amount surprising for the lesser-known platform owned by Ukrainian-born British-American Sir Len Blavatnik.
Coincidentally, Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the 2034 World Cup around the same time. An unrelated decision to the Club World Cup, right?
Not exactly.
In February, SURJ Sports Investment, under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquired a 10% stake in DAZN for $1 billion, aiming to introduce the streaming service to the Middle East and compete with Qatar-based BeIN Sports.
A month later, the Club World Cup astonishingly secured a $1 billion prize pool, compelling participating big clubs to take the competition seriously.
It’s easy to connect the dots between DAZN’s sudden Saudi-funded windfall and Saudi Arabia being awarded the 2034 World Cup.
So, when Infantino boasted on Saturday that critics wrongly predicted no broadcaster for the Club World Cup, it rang hollow.
Admittedly, Saudi Arabia’s selection as the 2034 World Cup host was likely in motion for some time.
FIFA’s regulations state a continent cannot host another World Cup within two cycles. The U.S., Mexico, and Canada host the 2026 World Cup. In 2030, a groundbreaking decision will see Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco host matches across Europe, Africa, and South America.
The Australia/New Zealand committee, along with other Asian countries, was given an unexpected 25-day window starting Oct. 6 to prepare a bid.
Minutes after FIFA’s surprise announcement, Saudi Arabia declared its hosting intentions. Meanwhile, other interested nations had less than a month to satisfy the 14 40,000-seat stadiums requirement.
Australia and New Zealand only had 10 and lacked time for approval of four additional venues, yet they had three more than the seven existing stadiums required by FIFA for a host to be considered. They had six more than Saudi Arabia, which currently has four, but Infantino and Co. ignored them.
Not the subtlest move, and the U.S.-hosted Club World Cup (partly sponsored by the PIF) played a role, knowingly or not.
For more on the FIFA Club World Cup, visit AMNY.com
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