MLS Commissioner Calls Club World Cup Historic Moment For American Football

Chelsea won the 2025 Club World Cup after beating Paris Saint-Germain (Instagram/@fifaclubworldcup).

JAKARTA - Commissioner Major League Soccer (MLS), Don Garber, called the 2025 Club World Cup a breakthrough and historic for the North American football community.

With more than three million supporters attending matches in the past month, Garber said the event had firmly placed the United States and neighboring countries on the international football map.

"There is so much anticipation ahead of this event. Every time you do something new and change people's perspective on international tournaments, there are always questions about how it will materialize and what the impact will be," Garber told Reuters.

According to Garber, the first edition of the tournament, which contains 32 teams, has proven to be an extraordinary success and a proud moment for everyone involved in North American football.

The event, which featured dozens of games in new venues in the prestigious tournament, attracted global attention to the American football market - the market that, according to Garber, had long wanted to prove itself.

"We've always had a bit of a burden on our shoulders in the United States football business."

"However, our energy and audience knowledge, diversity and celebration atmospheres show the world what we can do," Garber said.

The 2025 Club World Cup is also an important trial for several stadiums that will host the 2026 World Cup matches, which will be jointly organized by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

"It's a very tough task. I don't think everyone understands how difficult it is to host dozens of games, all of which take place several times a week, in stadiums that have never held tournaments like this," Garbe said.

North American teams made achievements, with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami winning a historic 2-1 win over Porto in the group stage -- the first time the MLS team beat European clubs in a competitive match.

The MLS, LAFC and Seattle Sounders teams also performed brilliantly against tough teams.

"This has shocked many people. For decades, we have tried to show the world that we can be an influential and meaningful part of global football talks," Garber said.

Despite acknowledging that European clubs remain dominant on the world stage, Garber believes the 2025 Club World Cup offers a platform for new clubs and leagues to show their progress.

"There are many positive things that happen in Brazil, in the United States. Some leagues that do not get exposure as many super clubs as they can stand firmly," he said.

Despite the challenges, including the rapid conversion of stadiums, new ticket procedures, and the scorching hot weather in several matches, the event went smoothly.

"Everything is not perfect, but nothing is perfect in life. If you try to make progress every day, innovate both on and off the pitch, you can achieve something special. I look forward to what this tournament will look like in the future," said Garber.