The United States has expressed interest in hosting the 2029 Club World Cup, seeking to build on the commercial and sporting success of the current World Cup. Fifa has held talks with US officials about the tournament, but the co-hosts have not yet committed to a bid as the selection process details remain unconfirmed. It is unclear whether the White House or Donald Trump's World Cup taskforce, chaired by Andrew Giuliani, has been involved in the discussions.
Giuliani highlights soccer's rise in America
Andrew Giuliani, who chairs Trump's World Cup taskforce, emphasized the growing popularity of soccer in the United States. "Soccer is no longer a future American story," he said. "It's happening right now. There's just so much demand to come to the United States to watch the World Cup."
Fifa's record sales and revenue
Fifa has sold 6.5 million tickets for the current World Cup, nearly doubling its previous sales record. The organization is expected to exceed its revenue target of $11 billion (£8.2 billion). Hosting another tournament in the US would be financially advantageous for Fifa, given its strong ties with the White House.
Women's World Cup bid and Balogun affair
An unopposed joint bid from the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica to host the 2031 Women's World Cup is set to be ratified by Fifa this year. Additionally, the close relationship between Fifa and the US government was highlighted by the Folarin Balogun incident. Trump revealed he asked Fifa president Gianni Infantino to review the striker's sending-off in the USA's last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fifa's disciplinary committee suspended Balogun's one-match ban, allowing him to play in the subsequent match against Belgium.
Timing of the decision
Trump is scheduled to leave office in January 2029, months before the Club World Cup, but he will still be in office when the host decision is made. Fifa has not announced the timing or process for selecting the 2029 hosts, though a decision is expected next year, likely after the Fifa presidential election in April.
Previous hosting decisions and expansion plans
The US was appointed to host the expanded 2025 Club World Cup without a bidding process, with the Fifa Council making the decision unanimously in June 2023. It was widely expected that the 2029 tournament would be awarded to two of the 2030 World Cup hosts, likely Spain and Morocco, but other nations have shown interest. The Brazilian Football Confederation has expressed a desire to host, and Qatar has also been reported as interested. Fifa has not held a vote of members to determine major tournament hosts since 2018, when the joint US, Canada, and Mexico bid won over Morocco, which later co-hosted the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal.
Expansion to 48 teams and financial benefits
Fifa's plan to expand the Club World Cup to 48 teams in 2029, supported by major European clubs, could strengthen the US bid. Another North American tournament would be the most lucrative option for Fifa, which has been vindicated by its aggressive pricing strategy for this World Cup, with most matches selling out. Fifa trialled dynamic pricing at last year's Club World Cup, generating $411 million (£307 million) from ticket sales and hospitality despite fluctuating demand.
