The brand-new Club World Cup is just nine months away, but no one seems to know how, exactly, it will all go ahead. FIFA’s annual tournament, a gathering of the best clubs around the world, has been revamped, renewed and expanded, yet at this point, there are more questions than answers.
Stadium locations within the United States are set to be announced on Saturday at an event in New York, but beyond that, FIFA has struggled to secure a TV rights deal and sponsorship for a new-look tournament it has pushed so hard to formulate.
With player concerns about welfare and number of games running in juxtaposition to the inevitable interest in some of the world’s biggest clubs competing on a continent with an ever-expanding soccer appetite, this marquee event is already facing an uncertain future despite kick-off still being a long way away.