As football continues to evolve in its global commercial and competitive appeal, one of the most striking developments in recent years is the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup, now featuring 32 teams, set to rival the spectacle and scale of the FIFA World Cup itself. With billions of dollars in revenue, top-tier clubs involved, and a growing global audience, the newly restructured Club World Cup promises unprecedented levels of excitement. But amid the buzz, a legitimate concern looms large in the minds of purists and fans alike: Will the Club World Cup take the shine off the FIFA World Cup?

Traditionally, the FIFA World Cup has held an unrivaled status as the pinnacle of football excellence. It’s the tournament where nations rise or fall, careers are defined, and legends are made. From Pele and Maradona to Zidane and Messi, the World Cup has historically served as the stage where the world’s best showcased their brilliance in the colors of their countries.

The Club World Cup, by contrast, was once a modest tournament — a short, year-end event bringing together the continental champions from each region. Often dominated by European and South American champions, it never really captured the imagination of the global fan base to the same extent as the World Cup.

However, with FIFA’s expansion of the Club World Cup to a 32-team format — much like the World Cup itself — and with a $1 billion prize pool, the lines are beginning to blur. Major European and South American clubs now view it not only as a financial jackpot but also as a platform for global branding and prestige. As this tournament grows in significance, the fear is that it may start to overshadow international football’s crown jewel — the World Cup.

The concerns stem from multiple angles:

Top clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Flamengo now have greater incentives to prioritize global tournaments like the Club World Cup. With massive broadcasting deals, lucrative sponsorships, and a more global fan base, clubs are becoming more brand-conscious than ever. Players are increasingly seen not as national heroes but as club assets, molded by elite systems and PR teams.

This trend threatens the unique identity of the World Cup. National team football, by its very nature, lacks the week-to-week chemistry and training time that club football enjoys. When players and sponsors start prioritizing club achievements over national glory, the World Cup risks becoming a nostalgic tournament instead of the ultimate football stage.

With packed domestic calendars, continental competitions, and international friendlies already jostling for space, the addition of a fully-fledged Club World Cup creates further scheduling stress. The 2025 edition is scheduled just a year before the next FIFA World Cup in 2026. With minimal rest and more high-intensity games, top players may arrive at the World Cup exhausted or injured — potentially reducing the quality of the tournament and undermining its prestige.

Clubs may also become increasingly reluctant to release players for international duty, particularly for friendlies or qualifiers, unless FIFA or national federations enforce strict mandates.

For decades, a player’s ultimate dream was to represent their country in a World Cup. But in today’s football world, where a young star might earn €200,000 per week before their 21st birthday and gain instant fame from club exploits, that dream is shifting.

The rise of the Club World Cup — where players compete with familiar teammates, world-class facilities, and under the coaching systems they’ve trained in all year — may feel more comfortable and appealing. National teams, with all their cultural and tactical diversity, require rapid adaptation, which might not always produce the best football. As a result, we may begin to see players mentally and physically prioritizing club accolades over national ones.

Despite these concerns, there is still ample reason to believe the World Cup will retain its aura — if managed wisely.

The World Cup remains one of the few truly unifying global events. There’s an emotional depth to representing one’s country that no club — no matter how wealthy or successful — can replicate. National anthems, flags, and the historic narratives of countries competing add layers of meaning and tension that club football often lacks.

The World Cup is where countries like Croatia can defy odds, or where nations like Senegal, South Korea, or Morocco can capture the world’s attention. These Cinderella stories rarely happen in the club scene, dominated by financially elite teams.

The quadrennial nature of the World Cup helps preserve its mystique. Unlike club competitions, which occur every year, the World Cup builds anticipation. Players often get only one or two shots at the tournament in their prime years, making every match and every goal a potential legacy moment.

By contrast, an annual or biannual Club World Cup may suffer from overexposure. The very frequency that drives its commercial success may be its Achilles heel when it comes to prestige.

Football remains a major diplomatic and cultural tool for many countries. The World Cup provides a stage not just for football but for showcasing identity, unity, and resilience. From Iran’s stand against political oppression to Japan’s disciplined campaigns or Africa’s push for equality in football, the World Cup tells stories beyond the pitch. Clubs cannot offer that same narrative power.

The key moving forward lies in balance and smart governance. FIFA must ensure that the Club World Cup complements rather than competes with the World Cup. This could involve spacing the tournaments wisely, protecting the FIFA international match calendar, and introducing incentives for national team development.

National federations must also invest in better structures, coaching, and player development to make national teams more competitive. If countries can ensure that the quality of international football remains high, fans will continue to cherish it.

At the same time, clubs must remember their roots. For all the money and prestige they seek, clubs owe much of their fan base to the players who made their names at the World Cup — often before they even became professionals. Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, James Rodríguez, and countless others rose to global fame through the World Cup, long before club brands capitalized on their talent.

The expanded FIFA Club World Cup is a milestone in the sport’s evolution — an exciting, commercially viable venture that will undoubtedly provide fans with memorable football moments. But it must be handled with caution.

The FIFA World Cup is not just a tournament; it is a legacy, a tradition, and the emotional heartbeat of global football. To let that shine fade in the face of commercial ambition would be a loss not just for the sport but for its soul.

As football moves into this new era, let us hope — and work — to ensure that the Club World Cup adds value to the beautiful game without ever eclipsing the grandeur of the World Cup.