Real Madrid have announced support of FIFA’s recommendation for a 24-team Club World Cup starting from 2021.
The proposal will see FIFA going up against UEFA by trying to rival the Champions League as the top club competition in the world.
Speaking on Real Madrid TV, the club’s director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueno, said: “We think that for fans it could be a very interesting competition.
“Honestly, we think it could be a very attractive competition. We are talking about the best European teams and from other continents.
“We think that for fans it’s very interesting, it’s how we see it and other important clubs in Europe, who are also keen on the possibility, see it.”
FIFA is proposing a multi-billion deal featuring clubs from Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, North America and Oceania. The tournament would take place over three weekends in June or July, subject to the international footballing calendar.
According to a report in the New York Times last Wednesday, representatives of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain met with FIFA for a private meeting on the subject.
The clubs have a massive global appeal with combined revenues of over £3 billion for 2017. FIFA wants Europe’s top clubs to form a new competition as it seeks to close the gap with EUFA who make three times more than the organisation which owns the World Cup.
Plans for a new Club World Cup have brought tensions with FIFA’s rival and EUFA president Aleksander Ceferin blasted his counterpart Gianni Infantino recently. Ceferin feels the tournament will only benefit the elite clubs with little consideration given to the remainder.
Ceferin told Kicker: “About the so-called Club World Cup. The players are at the limit. FIFA is behaving strangely here too.
“They are discussing with only a few European clubs. They only invite the clubs that FIFA thinks are the important ones. The ECA is the associations of clubs in Europe, not only seven clubs,” he said.
“Do you think only one club in Germany, two in Spain and two in England are important? FIFA should respect every single club.
“I cannot imagine that UEFA invites only seven associations or clubs to discuss things that affect the future of all of European football. We conduct our consultations with everyone.
“And of course the clubs are sceptical of the FIFA proposal. I know that at least three of the seven clubs that were invited do not agree with FIFA’s approach.”
