The FIFA Club World Cup is underway in the United States, and the reviews from football fans have been mixed.
Paris Saint-Germain opened up the tournament with a highly anticipated matchup against Atlético Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. They ultimately won that match 4-0 in the heat, and the La Liga side looked like they would rather be inside browsing litecoin online casino. Up next for PSG in the group stage of the Club World Cup is Botafogo and Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer.
The dominating performance against the toughest opponent in the group stage means PSG should advance to the knockout stage with at least one more win. If they top the group, they’ll get the runners-up from Group A, which could be Al Ahly FC, FC Porto, Palmeiras, or a reunion against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF.
The way things are shaping up, PSG has a very good chance to go far in the Club World Cup, and while some may see the competition as meaningless, there’s a very real cash prize at the end of the day.
According to FIFA, the winner of the Club World Cup will earn up to $125 million. Just making it to the Round of 16 will net teams $7.5 million. The quarter-final earns $13.1 million, the semi-final brings $21 million, and reaching the final brings $30 million, with another $40 million to the winner of the final.
Even for PSG, a club with seemingly endless financial resources, $125 million will go a long way in helping stay within financial fair play regulations while also adding to an already stacked team. This summer, PSG will likely add a starting center-back and perhaps one or two additional players. The Club World Cup prize money could help make negotiations go a little smoother.
The other reason PSG will want to take the tournament seriously is a potential matchup against Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid. Many were hoping to see PSG take on its former superstar in the UEFA Champions League last season, but Real Madrid crashed out in the quarter-final. For a tournament that hasn’t registered for a lot of football fans, PSG taking on Mbappé and Real Madrid after winning the Champions League is about as good as it gets.
There are a lot more games to be played before that potential matchup, and PSG will need to rotate its squad. However, Ousmane Dembélé should come back from his injury, and his inclusion in the starting lineup could be what takes PSG over the top and brings another trophy to the French capital.
