The curtain falls tonight on what has been hailed by some as a historic reinvention and by others as an overhyped experiment: the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, culminating in a blockbuster final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

On the eve of the final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was nothing short of triumphant.

We can say definitely that this FIFA Club World Cup has been a huge, huge, huge success,” Infantino declared, calling it a “game-changer” for club football.

But behind the scenes and in fan forums across the globe, the reaction to this expanded format has been anything but unanimous.

From One Week to One Month: The New Era of Club Football?

Gone are the days when the Club World Cup was a one-week winter showdown involving just six continental champions and a token host nation club. The new format, launched in the U.S., mirrors the FIFA World Cup—featuring 32 clubs, 63 games, and teams from every continent, spread across 30 days.

This year’s edition brought football powerhouses from Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and North America to U.S. soil, in what many dubbed a soft launch of America’s readiness to host the 2026 World Cup.

While the spectacle dazzled at times—with sold-out crowds in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, and global icons like Kylian Mbappé, Reece James, and Vinícius Júnior lighting up the pitch—the format also raised pressing questions.

Success or Saturation? Fans and Critics Split

On one hand, the tournament expanded the global reach of club football. For fans in the U.S., it was a rare opportunity to see clubs like Real Madrid, Boca Juniors, and Al Ahly battle it out in meaningful fixtures.

On the other, critics argue that fixture congestion, player fatigue, and the commercial motivations behind the tournament undercut the purity of the game.

It felt more like a football festival than a meaningful competition,” one European journalist wrote, echoing sentiments shared by many fans online.

And while Chelsea and PSG ultimately reached the final, detractors point out that the tournament often felt like it favored elite European clubs despite its “global” branding.

Follow the Money: Is This FIFA’s New Cash Cow?

The expanded Club World Cup is expected to become FIFA’s most lucrative club competition, drawing record sponsorship, broadcasting deals, and ticket revenue.

With over 2 million fans attending across the month, and streaming numbers from platforms like Apple TV, Paramount+, and FIFA+ surging globally, the commercial appetite is evident.

But critics caution that in chasing dollar signs, FIFA risks undermining domestic leagues and existing continental tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and CONMEBOL Libertadores.

What’s Next: Even More Expansion in 2026?

If you think 32 clubs was big, brace yourself. FIFA is already hinting that the 2029 edition could feature more teams, more games, and possibly even regional qualifiers, creating what some are calling “a second Champions League calendar.”

The next edition is already slated for China, which will host the tournament just a year after the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This is just the beginning Infantino said. Club football is going global—and fast

Final Verdict: A Work in Progress or a New Giant?

So, was the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 a success?

Yes, if you ask FIFA.
Maybe, if you ask broadcasters and sponsors.
No, if you ask football purists worried about player burnout and the sport’s over-commercialization.

But one thing is certain: football’s global stage just got a little bigger—and tonight’s final between Chelsea and PSG will be its closing act.