NEW YORK: Fifa president Gianni Infantino triumphantly declared the Club World Cup to be “the most successful club competition in the world” Saturday ahead of this weekend’s final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
The first 32-team edition of the tournament faced criticism in the build-up for stretching demands on elite players and has been played out in baking temperatures in the US that have raised concerns for the health of those involved.
There were also doubts about the level of interest the competition would generate among fans, but Infantino said he was satisfied with the attendances at matches – despite many games being far from sold out – and claimed it had been a major success financially.