EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Standing in the luxurious lobby of Trump Tower on Saturday, a day before the Club World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium between Chelsea and PSG, FIFA president Gianni Infantino exhibited a level of ignorance typical of the building’s namesake. This ignorance reveals a lack of discretion — a trait that former president Sepp Blatter at least attempted to use before his secretive actions were exposed.
There seems to be a notable issue at the top of FIFA, and the Club World Cup has raised further questions, particularly regarding the last-minute lucrative broadcast deal with DAZN, a streaming service known as the “Netflix of Sports.”
Less than a year before the revamped Club World Cup — now a quadrennial event, set as a precursor to the 2026 World Cup in the United States — no TV deal was secured. International broadcasters like the BBC and Sky did not bid, while ITV offered a zero-dollar bid, suggesting Infantino might give away rights due to low interest.
In December, DAZN unexpectedly offered $1 billion, a surprisingly high figure for the platform owned by Ukrainian-born British-American Sir Len Blavatnik. Around the same time, Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the 2034 World Cup, a decision seemingly unrelated to the Club World Cup, or perhaps not.
In February, SURJ Sports Investment, tied to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquired a 10% stake in DAZN for $1 billion, aiming to expand in the Middle East against Qatar-based BeIN Sports. A month later, the Club World Cup secured a $1 billion prize pool, garnering attention from major clubs.
The connection between DAZN’s sudden financial boost from Saudi investment and the country winning the 2034 World Cup bid seems apparent. Infantino’s comments about critics claiming the Club World Cup would not be broadcast felt insincere.
The selection of Saudi Arabia was long anticipated. FIFA rules prohibit a continent from hosting consecutive World Cups. With the United States, Mexico, and Canada hosting in 2026, and multiple countries across Europe, Africa, and South America in 2030, Australia/New Zealand and other Asian nations had a short 25-day preparation period starting Oct. 6 to submit a bid.
Minutes after FIFA’s unexpected announcement, Saudi Arabia declared its hosting intent, while other nations scrambled to create a plan meeting the 14-stadium requirement. Australia and New Zealand had 10 stadiums but not enough time to prepare additional venues. They had more than the seven-stadium minimum FIFA requires but were overlooked in favor of Saudi Arabia, which only has four stadiums.
The move was not subtle, and the Club World Cup in the United States, partly sponsored by the PIF, played a role, even if unknowingly.
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