Real Madrid in Doha for the Intercontinental Cup. What’s the point now that there’s the Club World Cup? (Rmc)

Wednesday 18th December 2024 05:07 PM

They play against the Mexicans Pachuca. Both teams will also be in the United States next summer. But imagine if FIFA gives up a trophy

Db Bergamo 10/12/2024 – Champions League / Atalanta-Real Madrid / photo Daniele Buffa/Image Sport in the photo: Kylian Mbappe’

Real Madrid against Mexican Pachuca. It is played in Doha. It’s the now old Intercontinental Cup. Rmc, in France, rightly asks that makes sense to this competition now that there is the Club World Cup. Real Madrid and Pachuca, for example, will play the Fifa summer tournament in the United States, but this hasn’t stopped Infantino from holding up this other trophy too.

Direct heir of the Intercontinental Cup which pitted the winners of the Copa Libertadores against that of the Champions Cup – recalls Rmc – “Wednesday’s match between Real Madrid and Pachuca also benefited from the merger with the Club World Cup since 2005 with the opening up to other winners of continental competitions. Pachuca is then invited to play against Real due to their coronation against Columbus Crew (3-0) in the Concacaf Champions League final in June.

But first the Mexicans also won a mini-tournament against the Emirates of Al-Aïn, the New Zealanders of Auckland, the Brazilians of Botafogo and the Egyptians of Al-Ahly.

Clearly “Fifa retains an annual income from this competition thanks to television rights and partners willing to pay a lot to host the matches”. Imagine if they give up.