Soccer-Infantino declares Club World Cup success, despite critics
NEW YORK (Reuters) -On the eve of the Club World Cup final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament a success, learning from the criticisms leveled at the event on issues ranging from extreme heat to stadiums that were only half full for some matches.
Infantino said he preferred to have more fans in larger stadiums even if it meant they did not fill them and suggested stadiums with roofs could be prioritised for day games during next year's World Cup which will also be hosted in the United States along with Canada and Mexico.
"Of course, every criticism that we receive is a source for us to study, to analyse to see what we can do better,' Infantino said at a media event at Trump Tower in New York on Saturday.
"I prefer to put, I don't know, 35,000 people in an 80,000-seater stadium rather than 20,000 in a 20,000-seater stadium," he said.
'The heat is definitely an issue. It's an issue all over the world… We have stadiums as well, which are covered. So, we'll definitely use these stadiums more in the day," added Infantino.
The FIFA president also said the idea that European spectators and clubs were particularly critical was not founded.
"We shouldn't say that the opinion of Europe on this is very bad because it's not true. I have been speaking to the teams who came here. They've all been happy to come here. To the fans who came here, they've all been happy to come here," Infantino said.
Brazilian great Ronaldo, who was at the event along with other former players, echoed the FIFA president and said the criticisms had been limited.
"I just saw two guys doing the critiques about FIFA Club World Cup. One of them, he hates everything else but the Liga," Ronaldo said.
"And the other - we respect the opinion, but I think as the president told you about the facts and the numbers and the enthusiasm of the people and the fans and the quality of the games, I think it has been a huge success."
With U.S. President Donald Trump set to attend the final, Infantino defended his close relationship to the current administration, saying it was fundamental to organise the mega events.
"(Trump) embraced, immediately, the importance of the FIFA Club World Cup. And then, of course, of the World Cup next year.
"You cannot even think of organising an event like this, like the Club World Cup… without the full engagement and full support of the government," he said.
Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea in the tournament's finale at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
(Reporting by Miguel Lo Bianco and Kurt Hall in New York, Editing by Franklin Paul)
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