We admit we were skeptical of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup going into the event. Yes, it might be another cynical cash grab that adds to an already congested footballing schedule, but when the soccer is good you can look past even the most problematic tournaments — and some of the games in the Club World Cup have been wildly entertaining.
Here in the United States, many of the matches are being aired over patchwork of familiar networks. But the best way to watch, say, Urawa Red Diamonds almost upset Inter Milan, or Fluminese FC storm back to beat the better-than-you-thought Ulsan HD FC, is to sign up for DAZN, the British streaming service that's airing every FIFA Club World Cup game for free.
That's right: It's time to download another app. But before you do you'll want to read this primer, and learn more about DAZN, the broadcaster that's owned by a Russian oligarch, partially bankrolled by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, and airing all 2025 FIFA Club World Cup games with charging you a cent.
Note: We get no money or any sort of benefit for pointing you to DAZN. This post is purely a public service.
1. What is DAZN?
DAZN is a British streaming service that was established in 2015. DAZN now broadcasts more than 90,000 live events per year and reaches more than 300 million viewers according to recent reports. DAZN streams everything from professional leagues in the US, to extreme fighting, to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
2. Are 2025 FIFA Club World Cup games on DAZN free?
Yes. You will need to sign up for a free account, which can be a little tricky: DAZN's landing page will try to guide you to paid subscriptions, but you can use an email address or your Gmail account to sign up and watch every 2025 FIFA Club World Cup game for free.
3. Who owns DAZN?
DAZN's parent company Perform Group is owned by Access Industries, a New York-based holding company owned by Sir Leonard Blavatnik, a former Russian oligarch who is now a British citizen. Blavatnik made his fortune in aluminum and plastics, and he is regarded as one of the victors in the bloody "aluminum wars." He has a net worth of $25.4 billion per Forbes, which makes him the third-richest person in the UK per the Guardian.
4. Why is DAZN broadcasting the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free?
There's no simple answer.
Last December, DAZN paid $1 billion for the rights to broadcast the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and announced that they would be airing the games for free throughout the world. It just so happens that the total prize money for the tournament is also $1 billion, which means that the DAZN payment essentially underwrites the tournament. As Barney Ronay put it in the Guardian, "It is no secret that the Club World Cup would not be happening in the way it is now happening without DAZN."
Then in February, Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment bought a minority stake in DAZN in a "landmark $1 billion deal" per Variety. Surj Sports Investment is in turn owned by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In another coincidence, Saudi Arabia was awarded the 2034 FIFA World Cup last December, just before DAZN offered $1 billion for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
In other words, the $1 billion Saudi Arabia invested in DAZN just happened to cover the $1 billion bid to broadcast the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which just happened to cover the $1 billion in prize money promised by FIFA. Nope, nothing sketchy going on here.
This is pure speculation, but it seems that DAZN is airing games for free because the broadcaster doesn't need to recoup the $1 billion it paid for the rights to the tournament. Presumably, the income earned from advertising revenue will pay for the cost of producing and streaming the games.
In addition, DAZN is gaining valuable experience by airing the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Could we see more tournaments streamed on DAZN in the future? The biggest prize would be the global rights to a FIFA World Cup — such as the 2034 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Saudi Arabia.
5. How do you say DAZN?
It's pronounced Da-Zone.
