Football Legend Didier Drogba Touts New Format of FIFA Club World Cup as Boon for African Football

Former Ivory Coast and Chelsea football legend Didier Drogba has voiced strong support for the new format of the FIFA Club World Cup, slated to begin next year in the United States.

Drogba highlighted the tournament as a significant opportunity for African teams to gain global recognition and potentially secure the title of world champions.

Speaking on Friday, Drogba praised the revamped tournament, which now features an expanded lineup of 32 teams. This new format contrasts with the traditional model, which has historically seen fewer teams competing.

The inclusion of four African teams, alongside similar numbers from Asia and America, six from South America, and twelve from Europe, underscores FIFA's commitment to a more inclusive and frequent competition.

"There’s already the FIFA World Cup, but it's only every four years, and not everyone has the chance to participate," Drogba said. He added that the FIFA Mundial de Clubes introduces a more recurrent platform, offering "more competition every year, more games, and more opportunities for players to be world champions."

Drogba reflected on the past successes of African clubs in the tournament, such as TP Mazembe's impressive run to the final. "When you’ve seen TP Mazembe, for example, being in the final, at the time it was huge," he recalled. The new format could enhance the likelihood of such achievements, providing what he described as a "huge achievement" for African football.

The enthusiasm expressed by Drogba resonates with his longstanding advocacy for the development of football in Africa.

He envisions the new tournament format as a catalyst for elevating the status of African clubs on the world stage. "Imagine the feeling for someone who plays here in Côte d'Ivoire or anywhere in Africa being world champion in front of all the big clubs, like Chelsea, Barcelona, [Real] Madrid, etc.," Drogba mused.

The FIFA Club World Cup's expansion is set to debut in the United States next year, promising a grand stage for clubs worldwide to showcase their prowess and potentially write new chapters in their footballing histories.