FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup kicked off in the U.S. on Saturday, and while there has been plenty of grumbling from Europe about the extra workload caused by the revamped 32-team tournament, the competition offers a wide range of benefits and new opportunities for clubs from other parts of the world.
Japan’s sole representative, Urawa Reds, kicks off its campaign against Argentinian giant River Plate on Tuesday in Seattle, its fourth appearance at the global showpiece after featuring in previous iterations in 2007, 2017 and 2023.
Those versions of the tournament comprised only seven teams in a staggered format, however, and Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa has no doubt that this year’s edition will offer a much bigger stage.
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