Club World Cup slot softens the blow of Inter Miami’s MLS playoffs exit
The HinduFIFA’s controversial decision to award Inter Miami a backdoor route into the Club World Cup has proved prescient after Lionel Messi’s team was stunned by Atlanta United in the MLS playoffs. However, the league’s glamour team will still take a slot in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup next year after FIFA last month awarded them the penultimate spot on the back of it winning the “Supporters’ Shield” for finishing top of the MLS standings after the regular season. “Therefore, I am proud to announce that as one of the best clubs in the world, you are deserved participants in the new FIFA Club World Cup as the host club representing the United States.” Those words sounded somewhat hollow, and underlined the opaque nature of the qualification criteria for the tournament, after Miami’s shock defeat in the first full round of the playoffs. However, despite going out at the first knockout hurdle, Miami will join 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winners Seattle Sounders as MLS representatives at the Club World Cup.