Infantino declares Club World Cup success, despite critics

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Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Legends Event - New Jersey, U.S. - July 12, 2025 FIFA president Gianni Infantino talks as former footballers Alessandro Del Piero, Kaka, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Hristo Stoichkov and Esteban Cambiasso look on during a Legends event with the trophy FIFA/Handout via REUTERS

NEW YORK - On the eve of the Club World Cup final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament a success, learning from the criticisms leveled at the event on issues ranging from extreme heat to stadiums that were only half full for some matches.

Infantino said he preferred to have more fans in larger stadiums even if it meant they did not fill them and suggested stadiums with roofs could be prioritised for day games during next year’s World Cup which will also be hosted in the United States along with Canada and Mexico.

Of course, every criticism that we receive is a source for us to study, to analyse to see what we can do better,” Infantino said at a media event at Trump Tower in New York on Saturday.

I prefer to put, I dont know, 35,000 people in an 80,000-seater stadium rather than 20,000 in a 20,000-seater stadium, he said.

“The heat is definitely an issue. Its an issue all over the world… We have stadiums as well, which are covered. So, well definitely use these