While Chelsea celebrated a surprise 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup, the roar of the crowd was met with growing discontent off the pitch.
FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, are facing strong criticism over how the tournament was organized—and how little consideration was given to the players’ wellbeing.
FIFPro Hits Out at FIFA’s “Tone-Deaf” Approach
The head of the global players’ union, FIFPro, didn’t hold back.
Sergio Marchi, its president, publicly slammed FIFA for prioritizing profits over players.
In a fiery statement, Marchi accused FIFA of pushing ahead with a packed schedule “without dialogue, without sensitivity and without respect” for the very athletes who make the sport possible.
He even likened the whole event to a modern-day version of ancient Rome’s “bread and circuses”—a flashy show meant to distract the masses while deeper issues fester underneath.
Pushing Players to the Limit
One of the biggest concerns? The extreme heat.
Some matches were played in blistering conditions that posed a real risk to the players’ physical health.
Marchi warned that the same thing must not happen at next summer’s World Cup, which will also be held across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
“The players’ bodies and health are being sacrificed,” he said, adding that many footballers around the world are already dealing with poor working conditions—irregular salaries, little job stability, and inadequate medical coverage.
Ignoring the Bigger Picture
Despite FIFA calling the tournament a “global football party,” Marchi argues it was more like a scripted illusion that completely ignored the real struggles of most professional footballers.
He pointed out that FIFA continued with its plans as though all was well, glossing over the inequality and lack of support players face in many countries.
A Union Left Out in the Cold
FIFPro wasn’t just unhappy with how the tournament was handled—they weren’t even at the table.
Despite a FIFA meeting being held on player welfare the day before the final, no representatives from FIFPro were invited.
That meeting ended with an agreement on a three-week off-season break for players—but without the input of the very union that represents them, the move felt hollow.
A Battle Over the Future of Football
The Club World Cup is just one flashpoint in a much broader power struggle.
Unions and leagues have long argued that FIFA is misusing its influence by unilaterally setting the match calendar, without any real consultation.
Marchi reiterated that players are being pushed to their limits, with packed schedules leaving them physically and mentally exhausted.
“You can’t keep feeding the marketing machine at the expense of the players,” he said.
“There’s no show without the players—and their voices can’t be silenced.”
A Call for Reform, Not Spectacle
FIFPro says it’s not against football expanding, but that growth has to come with care, fairness, and input from the people most affected: the players.
Marchi ended his statement with a promise that the union will continue to speak out, demand better conditions, and fight for a system that puts players—not profits—at the heart of decision-making.