UEFA is seeking PSG’s support to try to abolish the Club World Cup. The move threatens the tournament’s future, which already has Flamengo qualified for the 2029 edition.
The relationship between UEFA and FIFA is going through a period of extreme tension, even after the global governing body backed down on selling shares of the national teams’ World Cup. Although an imminent boycott was avoided, the “war” behind the scenes continues.
Now, the current target is the Club World Cup, a competition that European leadership wants to see extinguished from the international calendar.
Flamengo, the current Copa Libertadores champion, is closely watching the situation, as it has a secured spot for the 2029 edition. The attempt to undermine the tournament is gaining momentum with the efforts of Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA president, who is seeking to convince PSG to lead the dismantling of the competition.
Ceferin’s strategy and PSG’s influence
To put his plan into practice, Ceferin is targeting Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the head of PSG. In addition to leading the French club, Al-Khelaifi presides over the European Club Association (ECA), an organization representing over 850 clubs on the continent.
The meeting between the leaders is scheduled for August 12, during the UEFA Super Cup in Austria.
Political difficulties and behind-the-scenes
However, PSG‘s support is not guaranteed.
Despite UEFA’s desire, the PSG owner’s support is unlikely to be straightforward. After all, Al-Khelaifi is a public political ally of Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president.
This is pointed out by the M360 Team. It’s worth remembering that the Parisian club’s executive himself played a fundamental role in the economic structuring of the 2025 edition of the World Cup.
The discontent of several clubs, which claim not to have received the solidarity payments promised by FIFA after the first edition of the tournament, could be an asset for UEFA. The outcome of this political dispute remains an unknown that could drastically alter the future of major South American clubs like Flamengo.
The impact of this move is direct. If UEFA succeeds in its endeavor, the global calendar will need to be redrawn. Fans expect the format, which has already established itself as a major attraction, to be maintained, preventing European football from unilaterally centralizing decisions that affect the entire planet.
