Brazil has asked FIFA to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, sources told ESPN Brazil, saying that the request came during a meeting of top Brazil football officials during a visit to Rio de Janeiro by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Monday.
Infantino was in Brazil to officially launch the journey to the Women’s World Cup 2027, which will be staged across eight cities in Brazil for the first time.
Sources told ESPN that Ancelotti met with Brazil team manager Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil federation presidents and vice president Samir Xaud and Gustavo Dias Henrique and with Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday in Brasilia.
Over the weekend, Infantino also discussed topics related to the 2027 Women’s World Cup with the Brazil sports leaders in addition watching the match between Fluminense and Flamengo, for the Carioca Championship.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has been working behind the scenes for months to try and bring the Club World Cup to Brazil.
FIFA didn’t stage a bidding process for the 2025 tournament. Rather, the FIFA Council unanimously appointed the United States to host the expanded 32-team event. FIFA has not yet announced how formal bidding for the 2029 event will work.
Last June, Xaud was alongside Infantino at the match between Flamengo and LAFC, during the group stage of the competition in the United States, and spoke to ESPN about the subject .
“It’s a subject I discussed with president Infantino. I see it in a positive light, especially because Brazilian soccer is showing its potential in this World Cup. I believe that this conversation will continue for a while, but God willing, Brazil will host the 2029 Club World Cup,” he said at that time.
“[Infantino’s reaction after Brazil offered to host was] positive,” Xaud had said.
“Infantino is someone who really likes Brazilian soccer. He smiled and was happy that the CBF had made Brazil available to host the championship. So I believe that this dialogue and negotiation will happen and, God willing, we will bring the Club World Cup to Brazil.”
“Very close [Brazil hosting the Club World Cup]. But we need to sit down and weigh the pros and cons. But if it depends on the CBF and the CBF president, we will bring this [Club] World Cup to Brazil.”
For the 2029 Club World Cup, the only Brazilian team guaranteed a berth so far is Flamengo, which secured a spot by winning the 2025 CONMEBOL Libertadores.
FIFA over the weekend officially launched the journey to the Women’s World Cup 2027 with an engaging, culture driven celebration in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, blending football, music, art and Brazilian flair at one of the world’s most iconic locations.
The event marked a defining milestone on the road to the first Women’s World Cup to be staged in South America, unveiling the tournament’s emblem, the ‘GO EPIC’ slogan and a distinctive sonic identity inspired by vibrant Brazilian sounds to unite fans across every platform and touchpoint.
“The World Cup in Brazil, in 2027, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, will be a World Cup that the whole world has been waiting for,” Infantino said on Sunday in Brazil.
“The whole world wants to come to Brazil, to create a football party in the biggest football country. I am sure that it will be the most beautiful, most exceptional, and most epic World Cup in history. All of the national teams are very strong, the athletes are more and more technical, and physical.
“The host cities are all spectacular. We are here in Rio de Janeiro, but we also have Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Recife, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Brasília, and we are all ready for this event, that will start in 515 days.
“The world will experience something spectacular. The first FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, in South America. And the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in the country of football. One of a kind!”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
