Money controversy at FIFA Club World Cup 2025

The huge prize money of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup raises questions about financial inequality, as it reinforces the dominance of a few top teams, rather than elevating global football.

PSG suffered a crushing defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. Early morning on July 14, PSG lost to Chelsea 0-3 in the match to decide the Club World Cup title.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is not only a tournament that determines the world club football champion but also a huge economic machine, with a prize fund of $1 billion and a profound impact on domestic leagues around the world.

Money is the main motivation

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see a record $1 billion prize fund distributed based on performance and participation. Chelsea, who won the tournament after beating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-0 in the final at MetLife Stadium, will receive a total of $114.6 million (around £90 million).

PSG, the runners-up, took home $109.6 million, while teams like Fluminense (Brazil) received $60 million and Botafogo earned $26.7 million. According to FIFA, European clubs received participation fees ranging from $12.81 million to $38.19 million, while South American teams received $15.21 million, and African, Asian, North-Central American and Caribbean teams received $9.55 million.

Chelsea's case illustrates the financial appeal of the league. After being fined by UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play rules, the Blues' success in the United States this summer would help them improve their situation significantly.

With the title, Chelsea not only recouped the transfer fees for their players, but also made a significant profit, allowing them to continue investing in their squad. For big European clubs, such as Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Inter Milan, the Club World Cup prize money (around £30 million for Dortmund for reaching the quarter-finals) gives them a financial advantage, helping them to maintain their position.

According to Dortmund's marketing director Carsten Cramer, the money will help the team improve its squad significantly compared to last season. "Instead of summer friendlies, this tournament brings significant benefits to the clubs," Cramer said.

Outside Europe, the tournament’s economic impact is much greater. In Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns, despite failing to advance from the group stage, still received $9.2 million, while their main rivals Orlando Pirates earned just $1 million from last year’s South African domestic tournament.

Will the FIFA Club World Cup increase the gap between rich and poor in football?

The Club World Cup’s huge prize money, while giving smaller clubs a chance, risks reinforcing inequalities in domestic leagues. In Brazil, Palmeiras, Fluminense and Botafogo could use the money to retain young talent, buy more players, and create a huge gap with the rest of the league.

Argumentative

This is particularly evident in South Africa, where Mamelodi Sundowns, funded by billionaire Patrice Motsepe (CAF president), have continued to consolidate their dominance with eight consecutive titles. With the huge sums of money from the FIFA Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns are expected to continue their dominance in South Africa for the next few years.

In New Zealand, Auckland City, the league's only semi-professional team, have been embroiled in a dispute with the Oceania Football Confederation over the allocation of $4.6 million in prize money from the FIFA Club World Cup.

The question is: Will the FIFA Club World Cup prize money help clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns or Auckland City reach the top, or is it indirectly creating a gap between rich and poor in the domestic league?

FIFA has pledged $185 million from tournament revenue to a solidarity fund to support non-participating clubs, in an effort to promote global football development. However, The Athletic notes that FIFA has not yet released details on how the money will be allocated, and it is not even clear whether a decision has been made.

If properly allocated, this money could help develop smaller leagues in Africa, Asia, and South America. Conversely, if not managed well, the Club World Cup could only benefit a few big teams, cementing their “dynasties,” as The Observer notes .

Source: https://znews.vn/tranh-cai-tien-bac-o-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-post1568743.html