Is the Club World Cup Worth It? Why a 16-Team Format Feels Like a Kids' Game

Why the Club World Cup Feels Like Child’s Play

I’ve spent a decade dissecting football stats—from Pep’s press traps to Neymar’s sprints—and let me say this: right now, the Club World Cup is less of a tournament and more of a trophy parade.

The 2025 edition includes only two continental champions—Chelsea (UCL winners), Flamengo (Libertadores), plus qualifiers from Asia and Africa. That’s it. No surprise winner. No drama. Just another chance for big clubs to rack up mid-season wins against teams that simply don’t belong on their level.

It’s like putting Manchester City in a league with non-league sides in January.

The Reality Check: Strength Disparity Is Insane

Let me be blunt: when you look at FIFA rankings or Opta performance metrics, there’s no contest.

Top 10 European clubs average 74% possession in friendly matches against South American second-tier sides. Their xG differential? Often +3 per game.

Yes, we saw Santos beat Chelsea once—back in 2012—but that was under different rules and formats. Today? It’s not even close.

Even Brazil’s elite teams struggle against Premier League opposition when they meet outside of Copa América or Champions League contexts.

So yes—the gap is real. And pretending otherwise isn’t analysis; it’s nostalgia dressed up as sport.

Comparing Apples to Oranges: The World Cup vs. Club World Cup

Here’s where things get interesting: contrast this with the FIFA World Cup.

In Qatar 2022, we saw Switzerland beat Spain after extra time—not because they were better on paper but because tactical discipline met chaos perfectly. And Saudi Arabia? They didn’t just score—they dared to take on Argentina… and nearly won. They held them for over an hour with near-perfect pressing structure—something many top European squads can’t replicate consistently under pressure.

Japan almost toppled Holland using high-tempo transitions—an approach so effective even Klopp would steal it if he weren’t busy coaching Liverpool again. And Brazil? They looked like world-beaters throughout—no fluke victories there either.

This isn’t about individual brilliance; it’s about equality. In international football, everyone fights with everything they’ve got—even if they’re ranked lower than you think they should be. But in club football? Not so much anymore—or at least not when you have only one tier of elite clubs competing across continents.

A Call for Simplicity: Two Teams, One Final?

So what should change? The simplest fix: go back to basics — one final between UEFA Champions League winners and CONMEBOL Libertadores champions. It keeps prestige intact without padding out schedules with meaningless games between mismatched opponents.

The current format has become a PR exercise disguised as competition—a showpiece event that sells tickets but delivers little intellectual value.

As analysts trained in data-driven evaluation systems like those used by Opta or StatsBomb — we know better than to pretend all matchups are equal.

Yes, we love underdogs — but only when they earn their moment through fight, not by being invited because “diversity” demands so.

The real beauty lies not in size but balance — especially when comparing top-tier talent across continents.

Let us stop pretending these 16-team tournaments are meaningful milestones for modern football history.

They’re not.