Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, made some statements that did not go unnoticed by the FC Barcelona fans. During his visit to the Miami Grand Prix of Formula 1, where he exhibited the trophy of the new Club World Cup to be held in the United States from June 14 to July 13, the president took the opportunity to talk about the UEFA Champions League.
Specifically, Infantino referred to the match between Barça and Inter Milan, corresponding to the return leg of the 'semis' of the continental tournament, whose first leg ended with a vibrant 3-3 draw. The president of FIFA did not hide his preference: "Everyone knows that I am a fan of Inter Milan," he said, openly showing his desire for Simone Inzaghi's team to advance to the final.
Is FIFA worried about Barça winning the Champions League?
These statements have raised questions: Is FIFA afraid that FC Barcelona will be crowned champion of the UEFA Champions League? If this happens, the Blaugrana club would not have a guaranteed place for the new format of the Club World Cup, something that could be sportingly fatal for the international body.
The new tournament will bring together 32 teams worldwide, but it is based on results accumulated in the last four seasons. Thus, clubs like Barcelona or Arsenal —which also has chances of reaching the final of the Champions League— could be proclaimed champions of Europe and still not be present in the competition that aims to bring together the best in the world.
FIFA would benefit from the victory of Inter or PSG in the UEFA Champions League
From FIFA's perspective, it might be more convenient for teams that already have their ticket secured to the Club World Cup, such as Inter Milan or Paris Saint-Germain, to win. This would allow maintaining some coherence with the historical premise that the champion of the Champions League accesses this tournament, although the new format breaks with that tradition.
The objective of this new tournament is to replicate the prestige of a World Cup at club level, but the current qualification format generates unusual situations that do not favor all the great teams of the moment.
FC Barcelona, a great absentee in the 2025 Club World Cup
Beyond the result in the UEFA Champions League, what is clear is that the absence of FC Barcelona in the 2025 Club World Cup represents a blow for FIFA. The Blaugrana team, one of the most in-form in European football, has stellar names like Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Raphinha, and remains one of the most popular teams in the world.
Their exclusion from a competition that aspires to bring together the elite of world football leaves both a sporting and media void. Will the Barça be missed in this tournament? Everything points to yes.