FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that the Club World Cup, which begins today, signifies a significant “new era” for football, likening it to the inaugural World Cup held in 1930.
In an interview with AFP, Infantino addressed critics of FIFA’s ticketing strategy and expressed confidence that those skeptical about the tournament would soon change their opinions.
The 32-team event, featuring clubs from around the globe, will kick-off with Inter Miami competing against Egyptian club Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium. “It starts a new era of football, a new era of club football. A little bit like when, in 1930, the first World Cup, right, started,” Infantino told AFP.
“Everyone today speaks about the very first World Cup. That’s why it’s also, this World Cup here is historic.
“We want to be inclusive. We want to give opportunities to clubs from all over the world,” he said.
“It’s really to globalise football, to make it truly, truly global. Because when you scratch the surface, we say it’s the number one sport in the world, and it is but then the elite is very concentrated in very few clubs, in very few countries,” he said.
(Complete Sports)
