FIFA President Gianni Infantino said today that this year's first Club World Cup in a new format with 32 teams will change football for the better.
The Club World Cup kicked off in the US tonight, with Inter Miami and Egypt's Al-Ahly drawing 0-0 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The tournament will be played in 11 American cities until July 13.
"This tournament will be the start of something historic that will change our sport for the better," Infantino said in Miami.
A grand opening ceremony for the tournament was held before the game, with music and dance performances and fireworks.
FIFA changed the competition system this year, so 32 teams will be playing in the Club World Cup instead of the previous seven, which was opposed by numerous coaches, fan associations and experts due to the tight schedule.
The players threatened to strike, and the European Football Union (Uefa) was the first to oppose the new format.
Infantino said that a tournament like this is something the sport has been waiting for.
The Club World Cup will be held every four years, and this year's Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain has already qualified for the 2029 tournament.
"Maybe not now in the first edition, but this will be a very important competition to triumph," said Paris team coach Luis Enrique.
There was not much interest from fans ahead of the competition, so FIFA reduced ticket prices as the tournament approached.
The world football body did not announce how many tickets were sold before the start of the tournament.
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