FIFA is in active discussions with Qatar about hosting the 2029 Club World Cup during the winter months, a move that would expand the tournament to 48 teams and lean on the infrastructure Qatar built for the 2022 World Cup.
The talks, which gained traction as of July 2026, represent a reversal from FIFA’s earlier position. The governing body initially rejected Qatar’s winter proposal in 2025, opting instead for a summer edition hosted outside the Gulf state.
The money game behind the beautiful game
The 2025 Club World Cup, held in the United States, featured a total prize pool of $1 billion. Top-performing clubs earned north of $50 million just for advancing through the knockout stages.
Manchester City pulled in significant revenue from their participation in the 2025 edition alone. Scale that up to 48 teams, from the current 32-team format, and you’re looking at a tournament that could rival some national GDPs in total economic output.
