FIFA may have thrown a glamorous global football party, but not everyone is celebrating. The recently concluded Club World Cup has come under heavy fire from the global players’ union, FIFPRO, which claims the tournament’s success story loudly declared by FIFA President Gianni Infantino is far from the full picture. 

In fact, according to FIFPRO’s president, Sergio Marchi, much of what FIFA is presenting to the world is “fiction.”

In a strongly worded rebuke, Marchi accused the football governing body of prioritizing profits over the well-being of the players who actually take to the pitch. 

He likened Infantino’s leadership style to that of Roman emperor Nero, famous for lavish entertainment while Rome crumbled beneath the surface. 

The message from the players’ camp is clear: FIFA may be putting on a show, but the cost is dangerously high for those in the game.

Ignored voices, overworked bodies

The friction between FIFA and FIFPRO is not new, but it has intensified in the wake of the expanded Club World Cup. FIFA has praised the tournament as a new era of global club football, calling it the “most successful club competition in the world.” 

But FIFPRO, which represents over 66,000 players worldwide, isn’t impressed. One of the key issues is that the players’ union says it wasn’t even invited to a critical meeting on player welfare held just before the final match. 

That snub, according to Marchi, highlights a growing problem: FIFA’s decisions are being made without those most affected, the players themselves at the table.

FIFPRO had already filed a legal complaint last year, arguing that FIFA’s expansion of the tournament added undue pressure to an already overloaded football calendar. The complaint also accused FIFA of violating European competition laws by making these decisions unilaterally.

Heat, fatigue, and a lack of rest

Beyond legal concerns, there are very real physical consequences. The tournament was played in extreme heat, with players struggling under harsh conditions. While Infantino has admitted that the heat was “an issue,” Marchi didn’t mince words, he called the conditions unacceptable and dangerous to players’ health.

According to FIFPRO, the schedule continues to leave little room for rest or recovery. While FIFA recently announced a consensus that players should get at least 72 hours between games and 21 days off at the end of the season, FIFPRO says that still falls short of the necessary standards.

The union warns that the trend of prioritizing spectacle and revenue over human sustainability is becoming a serious threat to the sport itself. “There is no spectacle possible if the voices of the protagonists are silenced,” Marchi said.

A one-sided celebration?

FIFA insists the revamped Club World Cup benefits the global game, noting that revenues will be shared with both participating and non-participating clubs. Some players and managers have reportedly supported the expanded format.

But Marchi believes the glitz hides a deeper truth. “Behind the staging and smiles lies growing inequality, precarious work conditions, and a lack of respect for players’ well-being,” he said.

With next year’s tournament already on the horizon, FIFPRO is demanding a fundamental change. This isn’t just about heat, or scheduling, or missed meetings, it’s about whether the global game can be truly global and sustainable, without sidelining the very people who make it worth watching.

FIFA has yet to respond to the latest round of criticism. But one thing is clear: the divide between football’s decision-makers and its frontline workers has never been more visible.