The noise of critics drowned out by brashness and bombast, the Club World Cup final was everything Gianni Infantino could have hoped for.
Pop star glamour, a glitzy ceremony and so much gold. All in a packed stadium in New Jersey.
And a chance for the FIFA president to take centre stage with the most powerful person in the world.
Although even Mr Infantino attempted to usher Donald Trump away from the Chelsea trophy lift celebrations – without success.
The confusion from captain Reece James was clear for the world to see.
But how much of the world was watching?
That comes to the heart of whether the month of football across the US could be considered a success.
Critics were quick to write off the super-sized revamp of a little-loved, much smaller tournament – jumping from seven teams annually into a 32-club extravaganza.
It’s intended to be every four years, but FIFA is now all about being bigger, bolder and blazing into the club game dominated by domestic leagues and regional competitions – particularly Europe’s Champions League.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer holds the golden ball trophy as the tournament’s top player, after the final at a packed MetLife Stadium. Pic: Reuters
But there were tens of thousands of empty seats at some games.
In part, that was due to a determination to use vast NFL stadiums.
Also, this is a World Cup without national teams – the way the world has largely engaged with World Cups since 1930.
And because it’s a new concept in a country where soccer ranks low down the sporting pecking order.
Fans at the semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in New Jersey. Pic: Reuters
So, an average of just under 40,000 per match could be considered a success.
Consider how Auckland City, who qualified as champions of Oceania, are a tiny club with home attendances of a couple of thousand usually.
The broadcast viewer numbers are harder to gauge.
Empty seats at the Inter Milan v Fluminense clash at the Bank Of America Stadium in North Carolina. Pic: Reuters
Mr Infantino said it was 20 billion, which could only be a cumulative audience.
Channel 5 did have more than 1.5 million Brits watching a Chelsea game after sub-licensing rights from DAZN.
The streaming service will have recouped some of the $1bn it paid FIFA from domestic channels, but it aired games for free.
Funding flowed to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
So, while President Trump provided the gravitas and logistical assistance, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ultimately helped to pay for it.
And in many ways, money provided the jeopardy with a $1bn prize fund.
Chelsea’s passage through the tournament was framed around a growing windfall.
Chelsea celebrate their success. Pic: AP
Upsetting European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the final means they bank £90m – more than usual from matchday revenue in an entire season.
But when Manchester City were knocked out in the last 16 by Saudi side Al Hilal, the club’s own post-match show reflected on how at least the players would get more of a summer break now.
And player welfare has been a concern, exacerbated by some poor quality pitches, high heat and storm delays in games, with Chelsea just completing a 64-match season and with a first pre-season match scheduled in three weeks.
On the eve of the Club World Cup final, FIFA claimed to have struck an agreement with the players’ union on mandatory 21-day annual holidays.
But the official global union was cut out of the talks. That could be because FIFPRO is pursuing a complaint against FIFA with the European Commission over the congested calendar.
But for Mr Infantino this is a time to celebrate the end of the first expanded men’s Club World Cup.
“We didn’t have one single incident,” he said.
But there was one notable incident of racism reported during a match.
A complaint by Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger led to FIFA opening a disciplinary case against Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral.
And having made combating discrimination a FIFA priority in 2024, the governing body was accused of downplaying – even scrapping – stadium warnings.
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The NFL had already faced scrutiny over whether anti-racism messaging was removed from the Super Bowl to avoid annoying President Trump.
And having had a taste of a FIFA spectacle, expect him to be even more prominent next time.
There’s 11 months until North America does it all again but even bigger with the main 48-team men’s World Cup.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
