The revamped Club World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the United States this summer, has been widely criticised by the football industry.
Described as nothing more than a ‘vanity project’ for governing body FIFA, the tournament has added more games into an already packed schedule.
However, for reigning champions Manchester City, the Club World Cup offers a shot at redemption and the chance to engage with fans in North America.
Despite heading into the 2024/25 season as the bookmakers’ favourites to win every trophy on offer, things have not gone to plan for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Much like the most popular games on an online casino platform, City have developed a penchant for unpredictability this term.
They never looked like winning the Premier League for the fifth consecutive year, while an early exit from the Champions League was a major disappointment.
Man City also failed to get beyond the fourth round in the League Cup, which has left the FA Cup as the only domestic trophy they can win.
They are strongly fancied to defeat Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on May 17, which would set them up nicely for a tilt at the Club World Cup.
The reigning world champions have been paired with Juventus (Italy), Wydad AC (Morocco) and Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) in the group stage.
It would be a major surprise if they failed to progress to the knockout phase and many pundits believe they are the team to beat this summer.
While City’s primary focus is on retaining the title they won in 2023, the tournament also offers the club an opportunity to connect with its North American fanbase.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool garnered a sizeable following there during the first half of the Premier League’s existence, but the landscape has changed since then.
City’s emergence as the dominant force in English football inevitably made them an attractive proposition to fans located overseas.
Regular pre-season trips to the United States during the 2010s helped them significantly close the gap on their Premier League rivals in North America.
The club’s link-up with Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit New York City has further strengthened their footprint in a crucial market.
City have expertly leveraged social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok to engage more effectively with North American fans.
Those efforts have paid dividends, with the club now firmly established in a market where football still has plenty of scope for growth.
While each of those elements has played a role in City’s growth in North America, NBC’s acquisition of the Premier League’s broadcast rights for $250 million in 2013 was the biggest game-changer.
The deal coincided with City embarking on a sustained run of success, which made them the team fans wanted to watch most on NBC’s platforms.
Former City forward Rodney Marsh, who played for Tampa Bay Rowdies during the 1970s, has previously pinpointed the NBC deal as the catalyst for City’s popularity in North America.
“It was a huge influence on people because now you’re seeing every single game every weekend,” Marsh told The Athletic.
“Coupled with City winning games and winning championships on an annualised basis - it’s just thrust them into the spotlight.
“Even the people who didn’t support City had to care about them because they were always competing to win the league, which helped get them on people’s radars.”
City will be hoping that success in the Club World Cup this summer adds even more numbers to their already sizeable North American fanbase.