Europe’s top leagues groan as Qatar propose hosting the 2029 Club World Cup

FIFA appears increasingly committed to the Club World Cup, treating the new, expanded competition not as a trial run but as a long-term fixture in the global soccer calendar. With the 2029 edition on the horizon, discussions are already heating up over potential host nations.

Which countries could host the 2029 Club World Cup?

Brazil has thrown its hat into the ring, with Brazilian Football Confederation president Samir Xaud personally pitching the idea to FIFA president Gianni Infantino—first behind closed doors, then publicly during a federation summit in Miami held alongside the World Cup. FIFA is reportedly receptive to the proposal, especially since Brazil could repurpose the infrastructure from the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which it’s also set to host.

Meanwhile, Qatar has also stepped forward, leveraging its strong ties with FIFA and the success of the 2022 World Cup. According to The Guardian and Spanish outlet Cadena SER, Qatari officials have expressed interest in hosting the 2029 tournament, touting their compact, carbon-neutral setup and existing stadiums. However, staging the event in Qatar would likely require shifting the tournament to winter—just as was done in 2022—to avoid the region’s extreme summer heat. That move would once again disrupt domestic league schedules, a point of contention for European leagues that have already clashed with Infantino over the tournament’s expansion.

Tebas slams Club World Cup

“My goal is to put an end to the Club World Cup. I’m crystal clear on that. There are no available dates. We don’t need yet another competition that funnels money to a select group of clubs and players at the expense of the rest. There’s no extra money in the system—we need to preserve the ecosystem and scrap it,” said LaLiga president Javier Tebas in a recent statement.

His comments come amid renewed controversy over FIFA’s consideration of Qatar as host for the 2029 edition of the tournament. The Gulf nation’s bid, bolstered by its strong ties with FIFA and the logistical success of the 2022 World Cup, has reignited fierce debate. Critics argue that holding the event in Qatar would once again require shifting the global soccer calendar to winter, disrupting domestic leagues and player schedules—an issue that has already sparked tension between FIFA and major European leagues.

Amid all this, Spain has also entered the race to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. On paper, it would make sense—serving as a dress rehearsal for the 2030 World Cup, which Spain is co-hosting with Portugal and Morocco. But there’s no guarantee FIFA will honor that logic.

The sudden emergence of Qatar as a contender has thrown a wrench into the equation. With its state-of-the-art infrastructure from the 2022 World Cup still in pristine condition, Qatar is positioning itself as a ready-made solution—even if it means once again shifting the tournament to winter and disrupting the global soccer calendar.

In short: what looked like a straightforward decision is now tangled in geopolitics, scheduling headaches, and FIFA’s ever-evolving priorities. Another mess in the making.

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