New Jersey gets final as FIFA unveils Club World Cup venues

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday that the final of next year's expanded Club World Cup will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This stadium, which serves as the home ground for the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets, has also been designated as a venue for the 2026 World Cup.

The inaugural edition of the expanded tournament, featuring 32 clubs, is set to commence on June 15 and will conclude at MetLife Stadium on July 13. A total of 12 venues will be utilized for the tournament, with only two located on the West Coast: The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, near Los Angeles, and Lumen Field in Seattle.

The tournament will coincide with the regional CONCACAF Gold Cup, primarily hosted on the West Coast. Additional venues for the tournament include Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, GEODIS Park in Nashville, Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

The draw for the tournament is scheduled for December, with 30 of the 32 spots already filled through the qualification process. The Club World Cup will showcase title-winning teams from each of FIFA's continental confederations.

Among the 12 European teams that have qualified are Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, while Argentina's River Plate and Boca Juniors, along with Brazil's Flamengo, represent six South American teams.

"This new FIFA competition exemplifies true solidarity and inclusivity in global club football, enabling the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America, and Oceania to compete against the leading teams from Europe and South America in a remarkable new World Cup that will significantly contribute to the growth of club football and talent worldwide," stated Infantino.

The FIFA president made the venue announcement during the Global Citizen Festival held in Central Park, New York.

The upcoming tournament is anticipated to serve as a significant evaluation prior to the 2026 World Cup, with particular attention being directed towards security concerns following incidents that occurred during the Copa America matches in July at the venues in Charlotte and Miami.

FIFA has not yet disclosed any agreements regarding broadcasting or sponsorship for the tournament, and the event has encountered some resistance within the football community.

FIFPro, in collaboration with the European Leagues organization, has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA regarding the inclusion of this tournament in the international match calendar.

Critics of the new tournament argue that it exacerbates an already congested schedule and places additional demands on players.

The most recent iteration of the Club World Cup included seven teams competing in a knockout format, culminating in a victory for Manchester City, who triumphed over Brazil's Fluminense in the final held in Saudi Arabia.

FIFA intends to organize the expanded tournament every four years; however, a host for the 2029 edition has yet to be determined.