Australia, NZ consider joint bid for 2029 Club World Cup

Sydney, June 28 (BNA): Australian Football League (FA) Chairman James Johnson believes expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup will be a huge success and is considering a joint bid with New Zealand to host the second edition in 2029.

Australia and New Zealand will co-host the Women’s World Cup in July and August this year, and Johnson has already said that could be a stepping stone to a joint bid for the men’s version, possibly in 2034, Reuters reported.

The first edition of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup, the brainchild of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, will be held in the US in 2025 and Johnson said he is convinced it will take off.

“It will grow, over the years,” Johnson, who worked under Infantino at FIFA until 2018, told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“Gianni has really developed the UEFA Champions League, he knows what it takes to do that. Until one day we’ll have the best club teams coming to our shores (it’s) only good for Australian football.” So is the Men’s World Cup – but this (yet) we did the best Women’s World Cup ever.”

Saudi Arabia will host the final edition of the seven-team Club World Cup later this year. The expanded edition will be held every four years.

The ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup kicks off in Auckland and Sydney on July 20.

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