The FIFA Club World Cup can be understood by analogy with baseball's top club competitions, such as the MLB World Series, both of which represent the highest honours at club level, but the international and competitive dimensions of the FIFA Club World Cup are more complex.

1. Global Eligibility

Baseball vs. Comparison: The MLB World Series is limited to U.S. and Canadian teams and is essentially a contest for the North American league champions.

Club World Cup: Teams from six continents (e.g. Champions League, Copa Libertadores, etc.) must defeat opponents from different tactical systems around the world. For example, in 2023, Manchester City will face Asian champions Urawa Red Diamonds, African champions Cairo Nacional, etc., whose international representation far exceeds that of baseball.

2. Historical precipitation and reform

Baseball Heritage: The MLB World Series began in 1903 and has a rich history, but it has long been confined to the North American market.

Football Club World Cup: Although it was officially established in 2000, after the reform of expanding to 32 teams in 2025, it will bring together more giants (such as Real Madrid and Bayern), and the competition cycle will be extended to every four years.

3. Competitive difficulty and gold content

Baseball limitations: MLB teams only need to adapt to North American-style opponents, while soccer clubs need to deal with multiple challenges such as South American technical flow, overall European tactics, and Asian quick counter-attacks in a short schedule. For example, Chelsea's narrow 1-0 win over Palmeiras in the final in 2021 showed the intensity of the South American team's rivalry.

Upset probability: Kashima Antlers (Asia) defeated Atlético Nacional (South America) in 2016 to reach the final, proving the competitiveness of non-traditional powerhouses, a kind of transcontinental upset that is almost impossible in baseball.

4. Business value and impact

Baseball market: The 2022 MLB World Series was watched by approximately 12 million people, mainly in North America.

The 2022 final match between Real Madrid and Riyadh Crescent attracted more than 200 million viewers from around the world, and the participation of Saudi teams highlighted the increased influence of Middle Eastern capital on the tournament. The new version of the Club World Cup in 2025 is expected to generate US$4 billion in revenue, close to the World Cup level.

5. Player Honor Bonus

The Baseball World Series MVP only affects the professional reputation of North America, while the winner of the Club World Cup Golden Ball in Soccer (such as Vinicius 2022) can directly improve the competitiveness of the Golden Ball. A total of seven Club World Cup MVPs in history have been nominated for a Ballon d'Or.

The value of the FIFA Club World Cup is reflected in its truly global competitive nature – just as the MLB champion is required to defeat the Japanese professional baseball, Korean professional baseball and Caribbean series champions in a row to be crowned. Although European clubs currently have a clear advantage (9 titles in the last 10 years), the addition of more continental giants (such as MLS's Inter Miami) after the 2025 reform will further balance the competitive landscape and make it a top club competition on par with the Champions League.