With an eye-watering $1 billion in prize money, some of the biggest stars in the game and clubs competing from across the globe, FIFA’s new Club World Cup has all the ingredients to be a huge event.

But the 32-team tournament, which will be played across the USA from June 14 to July 13, has faced criticism and scepticism since FIFA president Gianni Infantino began to float the idea.

As a completely new arrival in an already crowded football landscape, it remains to be seen whether the competition proves able to carve out a regular place in the calendar.

Players’ representatives, such as global union FIFPRO, have warned of excessive workloads on players, while others have questioned whether fans will turn out in big enough numbers for the group stage fixtures.

“Players will have to perform at the end of an 11- month season with little prospect of getting enough rest before the following season starts,” FIFPRO warned when FIFA formally announced the tournament in 2023.

Neymar has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been sidelined from team activities, his club Santos confirmed in a statement reported by local media on Sunday.

According to the club, the 33-year-old began showing symptoms on Thursday and underwent medical testing that confirmed the infection.

In an official statement, Santos wrote: “With a viral condition that began on Thursday (June 5), Neymar Jr. underwent laboratory tests after evaluation by the Medical Department of Santos FC, which confirmed infection by Covid-19.

“The player had already been away from activities since Thursday, when he began showing symptoms, and remains resting at home and undergoing symptomatic treatment, as determined by a doctor.

”Santos did not specify how long Neymar will be unavailable, but Neymar had already been ruled out of Santos’ upcoming league match against Fortaleza due to suspension.

The Fortaleza match will be Santos’ last outing before the Brazilian league pauses for the June 14-July 13 Club World Cup in the United States.

The former Barcelona forward’s future at Santos remains uncertain as his contract expires on June 30.

He has only made 12 appearances for Santos this season across all competitions, recording three goals and three assists, due to injury.

The annual FIFA Member Association courses for technical and physical fitness instructors, and for young talents in refereeing, is now ongoing ( June 8 – 19 ) at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The participants are 80.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the programme for technical and physical fitness instructors, who are 40 in number, has the objective of bringing Nigeria’s technical and physical fitness instructors up to speed with current trends, tendencies and ideals, for them to imbibe global best practices in the refereeing business.

World football-governing body, FIFA, Technical Instructor Ali Mohamed Ahmed, as well as Fitness Instructor Boubaker Hanachi are to superintend the programmes, alongside Nigerian instructors Felicia Okwugba, Peter Edibe, Emmanuel Imiere and Stella Emoji, and IT/Video Instructor Promise Uwaeme.

For the technical and physical fitness programme, participants will be taken through the course objectives, challenges and tactical fouls, and preparation of practical training on day one, with new law changes, tactical approach, handball, offside, penalty area incidents and use of new FIFA red among other presentations. Practical training with referees and players will kick off each day’s programme.