Gianni Infantino promises to announce the FIFA Club World Cup locations by the end of September

FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised in a video call to international broadcasters on Friday that the United States venues for the FIFA Club World Cup in June and July will be announced by the end of September, increasing pressure on his organization to conclude negotiations with stadiums and cities across the country within 10 days.

The Athletics revealed on Thursday that Infantino had called the emergency briefing with broadcasters as he tried to convince them of the merits of the tournament, with world football’s governing body FIFA seeking billions in TV revenue to fund participation and prize money for competing clubs. However, broadcasters have so far been reluctant to come close to FIFA’s demands for the tournament.

A global streaming deal with Apple was originally reported by The New York Times as being close, but that never materialized. FIFA then launched a media rights tender for both the 2025 and 2029 editions of the tournament in July in the hope that it would increase interest and competition.

The 32-team tournament is set to take place in the US next summer, but venues, training bases, sponsors and broadcasters have yet to be announced. Clubs are also increasingly eager to hear how much they can expect from the competition, with Europe’s biggest teams budgeting for UEFA Champions League-style revenue from participating in FIFA’s revamped tournament. It is not yet known where the 2029 competition will be staged.

Most of the venues next year will be on the East Coast of the US, with the West Coast largely blocked for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which also takes place between June and July next summer.

The Athletics Warner Bros. previously reported that MLS club Seattle Sounders is expected to play at least one match of the Club World Cup tournament at Lumen Field, a 68,000-seat stadium that is home to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, the Sounders and the NWSL’s Seattle Reign. However, it is expected to be the only venue on the West Coast.

We previously reported that a combination of NFL and MLS locations in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Nashville and Cincinnati are being considered.

The certainty about the locations will give some reassurance to broadcasters, who are already worried about the organisation of the tournament. However, it remains to be seen whether the TV networks will be as enthusiastic about the competition as Infantino.

Also present at the call was Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who is also president of the European Club Federation. Directors of Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg also showed their support.

FIFA declined to comment, but confirmed that it expects to announce the venues within weeks. Further announcements are hoped for before the draw, which takes place in December.

GALLING DEEPER

One year to go until the Club World Cup in the United States. What will happen?

(Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)