Ivanka Trump appearance at FIFA Club World Cup shocks fans after United States President-elect Donald addresses ceremony in video message

The ceremony, taking place in Florida, saw Ivanka draw the ceremonial first pick alongside her son, Theodore, after a video message from the President-elect was played to the audience before the ceremony began. It's fair to say fans on social media didn not react well to the inclusion of such divisive political figures in the Club World Cup draw.

@ArthurFerridge wrote: "Ivanka Trump up on stage to pull the first ball at the Club World Cup draw. Surreal."

"The draw part of the FIFA Club World Cup Draw begins. With Ivanka Trump to start the draw. After Arsen Wenger dances. What the heck am I watching?," @BenSteiner00 asked.

Addressing the ceremony audience via a video message, Donald Trump referenced the growth of football in the US, citing his son's enthusiasm for the game and saying he hoped to attend the 2026 World Cup in the USA. He also referred to Gianni Infantino with the bizarre statement: "His name is Gianni. He's the President, and I'm the President."

Stepping aside from gimmicks like Trump's speech, the Club World Cup draw marked an important moment in Infantino's continual restructuring of global football. There are some fascinating fixtures lined up for next summer's expanded tournament, although it's not yet clear how popular the new-look competition will prove to be amongst supporters.

The 2025 Club World Cup won't get started until next June, but already the expanded format has faced some push back, not least for the increased load it will place on players just weeks after the club season ends.