Why Brazilian Clubs Could Be the Biggest Winners of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: FIFA

The expanded 32-team format of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 has introduced not only a broader competitive landscape, but also new commercial dynamics. Among the early standout performers — both on the pitch and in terms of brand development — are the Brazilian clubs.

With Flamengo defeating Chelsea 3:1, Botafogo upsetting Paris Saint-Germain 1:0, and Fluminense topping their group, Brazilian sides have shifted the tournament’s narrative. These results are not isolated sporting upsets; they carry significant implications for market value, media exposure, and international positioning of clubs from outside Europe.

Competitive Depth and Representation

Brazil is the most represented country in the tournament, with four clubs participating:

• Flamengo

• Palmeiras

• Fluminense

• Botafogo

No other nation has as many entrants, underscoring the strength of Brazilian domestic football within the CONMEBOL ecosystem.

Financial Payouts: Scale and Relevance Brazilian Clubs FIFA Club World Cup 2025

FIFA has allocated a total prize pool of approximately $1 billion for the 2025 edition. Each CONMEBOL participant is guaranteed $15.21 million USD, regardless of performance (source: Flashscore). This figure is especially impactful in the Brazilian context — where many top-flight clubs operate on significantly smaller budgets than their European counterparts.

The eventual winner of the tournament is expected to receive up to $125 million USD in combined match bonuses and prize money — a game-changing figure in South American football economics.

To illustrate the scale:

• Flamengo's 2023 annual revenue: €198 million

• Chelsea's 2023 annual revenue: €545 million(Source: Deloitte Football Money League)

  
  

This means that a Club World Cup title for a Brazilian team could yield revenues equaling more than 60% of their full-season income.

Record Media Reach: Streaming and Traditional Broadcast

The media performance of Brazilian clubs during the group stage has been unprecedented.

• Flamengo vs Chelsea drew 4.9 million concurrent viewers on YouTube via CazéTV — the largest live sports stream in Brazilian internet history (source: F5 Folha de S.Paulo).

• On television, TV Globo recorded 35 rating points in Rio de Janeiro, peaking at 37 — the highest sports broadcast in the region in the past 12 months (source: Kantar Ibope via F5).

• Across the first weekend, Club World Cup matches reached over 50 million viewers in Brazil. By the end of the group stage, total reach exceeded 75 million viewers (source: Poder360).

  
  

This level of engagement rivals — and in some metrics surpasses — recent finals of Copa Libertadores and even certain FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Fan Engagement: Strategic Fan Houses Across the U.S.

In parallel with their on-field success, all four Brazilian clubs launched branded fan houses in key U.S. markets. These activations combined retail, hospitality, entertainment, and sponsor exposure, serving both diaspora communities and international fans.

• Casa Flamengo (Orlando)

• Palmeiras Village (New Jersey & Miami)

• Casa Fluminense (New York City)

• Botafogo House (Venice Beach, Los Angeles)

  
  

These physical hubs featured match screenings, concerts, merchandise sales, brand activations, and cultural programming. Their goal: to globalize club identity and foster community in strategic growth markets ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Botafogo House at Venice Beach, Los Angeles | Photo Credit: Botafogo

Merchandising and Sponsorship Activation

Flamengo capitalized immediately on its win over Chelsea by releasing a limited-edition commemorative jersey (“3x1 no Chelsea”), which reportedly sold out within hours (source: CR Flamengo official release).

Clubs also used the tournament to activate global and regional sponsors in real-world environments — moving beyond digital exposure to experiential engagement.

Player Exposure and Market Value Upside

The Club World Cup also serves as a talent showcase.

• Igor Jesus (Botafogo) scored the winner against PSG and has already been linked with Premier League clubs.

• Lorran (Flamengo) drew widespread attention for his technical performance and maturity at just 19 years old.

High-level exposure on the global stage is expected to increase their market valuations and give Brazilian clubs greater leverage in upcoming transfer negotiations.

Igor Jesus, the star of Botafogo | Photo Credit: Botafogo

Digital Growth and Global Visibility

Flamengo — already among the world’s most followed clubs outside Europe — has surpassed 22 million followers on Instagram, with notable increases during the tournament period (source: club social media metrics, 2025).

The spike in digital traction reflects a broader trend: the internationalization of Brazilian club brands is accelerating, fueled by visibility, results, and strategic communications.

Cultural Relevance and Global Storytelling

Brazilian fans have made their presence felt across U.S. stadiums, often outnumbering or out-singing European supporters. Viral videos from pre-match parades, coordinated chants, and beachside watch parties have generated significant earned media and reinforced the perception of Brazilian clubs as lifestyle-driven brands.

These scenes were not just crowd noise — they were content assets, repurposed by clubs and sponsors for social storytelling.

Conclusion: Brazil’s Shift from Talent Exporter to Brand Exporter

Historically, Brazil has been a leading exporter of football talent. But the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 marks a new paradigm:Brazilian clubs are increasingly becoming exporters of football culture, fan experience, media visibility and brand equity.

This tournament may well represent a tipping point in how Brazilian football is perceived — not only as a supplier of players but as a viable, structured, and globally relevant industry.