A detailed look at the figures behind the Fifa Club World Cup, and how investment from Saudi Arabia appears to be underpinning the tournament.

Like what we have seen in the last two editions of the Gold Cup, a representative from Asia has been invited to play in the tournament. Previously, Qatar has been in the invitee. This time around, Saudi Arabia, the eventual hosts of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, enters the tournament.

Saudi Arabia isn’t just crashing the Gold Cup—it was invited. Behind the scenes, alliances shift and history repeats. Their spot in 2025 isn’t random. Uncover what’s really behind it.