The newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup -- a warmup act for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico -- has kicked off. A World Cup, not the World CupThe Club World Cup might have "World Cup" right there in the name, but make no mistake, this competition lacks the two characteristics that make FIFA's showpiece quadrennial event an "I remember when ..." cultural phenomenon: history and cachet. Chelsea and LAFC played in front of some 48,000 empty seats in their group-stage Club World Cup match in Atlanta last week. Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty ImagesWhen the real World Cup kicks off next summer, it will be the tournament's 23rd edition, and the 24th, hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco, will mark 100 years of the World Cup. FIFA's tradeoffsFrom the beginning, the Club World Cup hasn't been a competition universally embraced by the game or those who live it.