RG speaks to ex-Switzerland midfielder Gelson Fernandes about playing in the World Cup, representing Manchester City, working with FIFA, and more (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Gelson Fernandes was 23 years old when he played in his first FIFA World Cup for Switzerland. He was 27 when he played in his second World Cup, and 31 when he was selected for his third World Cup. Now 38, he’s one of the top decision-makers at FIFA, which will introduce the reinvented version of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer in the United States.
The first edition of the Club World Cup took place in 2000, with two clubs from South America, two from Europe, and one each from North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania facing off in a nine-day tournament. The second edition occurred in 2005 with six teams across the world vying for supremacy, before being increased to seven teams in 2007. Despite boasting the best club sides from each continent, the tournament never quite achieved widespread popularity. Between the 2007 edition and the final edition in 2023, a European team won the trophy on all but one occasion.
It’s why FIFA chose to rebrand this tournament as the “FIFA Intercontinental Cup” and create a brand-new tournament known as the FIFA Club World Cup. As opposed to the old format, which was held during a nine-day period in the start of December, this new format will take place between June 14 and July 13 in the United States. It won’t feature six or seven teams, but instead, 32. 12 of those teams are European, six of them are South American, four are Asian, four are African, one is from Oceania, and the other four are from North America.
“FIFA doesn’t need the Club World Cup, the world of football needs it,” Fernandes said in an exclusive RG interview. “The football clubs outside of Europe needed this competition, and the clubs and fans are very excited and look forward to competing amongst the best in this format. There’s a willingness and appetite from the football world to have this club competition.”
The new FIFA Club World Cup will take place across 12 stadiums in 11 US cities, Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Jersey, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington DC. Fans from across the country will have the opportunity to watch some of the world’s greatest players take to the pitch, but unlike in the summer of 2026, when they will be playing for their countries, in around four months time, they will be playing for some of the biggest clubs from across the globe.
Since starting his job as FIFA’s Director Member Associations Africa in August 2022, Gelson has helped guide African football into the 21st century via the FIFA Forward 3.0 program. The program has increased investment in football development by nearly 30% and provided continuous oversight to ensure that funds are used responsibly. Between 2022 and 2026, FIFA will provide up to $5 million for each member association to cover operational costs, and $3 million to execute well-planned football projects to contribute to long-term football development objectives. In addition, FIFA will allocate $60 million to each confederation to develop, promote and organize football within the reaches of its member associations. They’re also providing up to $1.2 million to member associations that are in dire need of assistance, allowing them to cover the costs of travel, accommodation and equipment for their national teams, and $5 million to each zonal association to organize regional football competitions for men, women and youth.
More than just money, though, FIFA are providing digital tools, capacity-development expertise and opportunities for sharing knowledge, and they’re also utilizing control mechanisms to scrutinize the usage of funds and report on their long-term impact. They’re offering more funding and support to football development projects across the world than ever before, setting strategic long-term goals and providing tailor-made footballing infrastructure to promote and advance men’s and women’s football.
“My job is mainly to develop football across the world, especially in Africa but in other places as well. I make sure to bring our project forward and that we are together to make it happen and bring people together,” explained Fernandes.
“It’s important to give an opportunity to kids all around the world and show that football can impact the lives of people. From infrastructure to competition to elite football, that’s what we do.”
Last June, the South Sudan Football Association inaugurated their newly renovated Juba National Stadium, a project which was completed thanks to $5.1 million in FIFA funding in addition to a $1.8 million COVID-19 relief loan. This investment helped to facilitate the construction of four dressing rooms, team benches, a media tribune, VIP areas and other facilities, turning the stadium into a 7,000-capacity venue. Moreover, it will allow South Sudan’s footballing association to bring the stadium up to FIFA norms with the installation of floodlights and a giant screen, and it will also enable them to construct a new technical center to provide their national teams with optimal training and preparation facilities and keep the country’s football development on an upward trajectory.
On January 16, Gelson accompanied FIFA president Gianni Infantino and various other important dignitaries to Abidjan to help unveil the Ivory Coast’s new national training center, which was done thanks to $4 million in FIFA funding. They were able to renovate existing facilities, including a swimming pool, and construct new buildings that were in line with the growing demands of elite-level football, such as a medical area, accommodation, a state-of-the-art gym, and a dedicated training center. The project, which is expected to take 12 months, will allow national teams and local teams of all age categories to utilize these facilities and will also provide a springboard for young players and coaches to develop.
In an exclusive RG interview, Gelson discussed various topics including:
What are your biggest goals and objectives for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup?
“It’s part of FIFA’s statutory objectives to develop football worldwide and organize international competitions, and a significant new opportunity has been created with the development of the new FIFA Club World Cup that provides a global and inclusive format for club football involving participants from all continents. This tournament will ensure that FIFA delivers a fitting global event for club football, helping to make football truly global. The FIFA Club World Cup is the ultimate stage that clubs globally aspire to qualify for and conquer, and will be staged quadrennially. Continental competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League in Europe and AFC Champions League in Asia, serve as the qualification pathway for the tournament, so it is our goal to add even more meaning and prestige to those pathways. The competition will also provide fans with the opportunity to support their team on the global stage in meaningful matches against diverse opponents from near and far.”
How big of an opportunity will this be for African teams to be able to compete alongside the best in the world in this tournament?
“Teams can only improve when they have the opportunity to compete against the very best. We have seen the gap narrow in national team football because players from Africa for example are now having more opportunities to play at a higher level more frequently. At the last FIFA World Cup, we saw Morocco become the first African side to reach the semi-finals in the history of the competition. In terms of club football, the gap is bigger between Europe and the rest of the world in comparison to the national team game. However, we need to start somewhere in order to try to improve the competitive balance across the globe. The FIFA Club World Cup is one major initiative FIFA is implementing to do this. Of course, we will not close this gap overnight, but it will offer an incentive to teams from not only across Africa, but also the rest of the world, that they have the opportunity to play against the very best club teams from around the globe.
As a former player, I know how important it is to dream and strive to compete against the very best, as this is the only way you will improve.”
Are there any particular matches or players that you are looking forward to watching in the Club World Cup?
“I am looking forward to seeing all the teams compete when the tournament gets underway. Of course, there are matches that grab the attention, and this is only natural. However, from an African perspective, I am just as interested to see how Al Ahly FC, Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Espérance Sportive de Tunis and Wydad AC equip themselves. For example, Wydad will play against one of my former clubs, Manchester City in Philadelphia and this will of course be a game of particular interest for me. From a player perspective, the players have a wonderful opportunity to shine on the biggest club stage of them all. They will have the chance to play in some of the greatest stadiums in the world. I never got the opportunity to play in a tournament like this, but if I did, I would relish the occasion of representing my club on such a stage and coming up against world-class players from across the globe. That is why you become a footballer in the first place, to have the opportunity to play on the biggest stage and against the very best.”
How excited are you for the new FIFA Club World Cup, and overall, how much of an impact do you think it's going to have on football?
“We should not think about the impact, but make it happen and have fun. I’m very excited about the Club World Cup, and I think the world of football is also excited. The clubs are certainly excited, and I think we are going to do something which is very special. People don’t know exactly what to expect from this competition, so we might be surprised, and it will be very good. There are a lot more teams, which means there are a lot more possibilities and a lot more chances to have surprises.”
Do you feel like the FIFA Club World Cup will present a great opportunity for American audiences to get excited ahead of next year's FIFA World Cup?
“There is no question about that. The FIFA Club World Cup will bring some of the top players from around the globe to the United States, just as the FIFA World Cup will do a year later. The world’s top club sides have been coming to the United States for years in order to play friendly matches, however, the FIFA Club World Cup will be different – these will be meaningful matches where the teams will compete for not only a beautiful new trophy but also for the title of being the undisputed best club team in the world.
They will hold that honor for four years until the next edition in 2029, which is something truly prestigious. Soccer in the United States is growing.
Participation rates are increasing, as is awareness about the sport. I believe that the FIFA Club World Cup can act as an excellent catalyst to help captivate audiences and showcase the world’s favorite sport at its very best.”
Lastly, the previous Club World Cup never quite achieved mainstream popularity. What makes you think this new format will be any different?
“The beauty of the FIFA World Cup is that once the winner has been crowned, there is no disputing who the best national team is in the world. The same will apply following the introduction of the FIFA Club World Cup. This tournament features 32 of the world’s best teams, representing all six continents, so the club that eventually triumphs on 13 July in New York New Jersey, will be undoubtedly the best in the world and what’s more, they will have the distinction of becoming the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup champions with the move to a 32-team tournament.”
Zach Lowy is a freelance football journalist who has written for leading outlets like FotMob, BetUS, Apuestas Deportivas, and who has appeared as a radio and television guest for BBC, SiriusXMFC, and various other platforms. After pursuing a global sports journalism degree at George Washington University, Zach has been able to tap into his multilingual background and interview major footballing figures in Spanish and Portuguese as well as operate the weekly podcast 'Zach Lowy's European Football Show' on BET Central.
