I think, whether we like it or not, the global trend is towards club football and away from meaningless international fixtures. Youngsters these days follow individual players and their clubs. Perhaps this is not a good thing but it is a reality and social media has changed everything. My gut feeling is that eventually the Club World Cup (in its new format) will rival (perhaps even overtake) the CL and City may as well be in on it from the beginning.
Don't forget that in the 1950s the English Football League, and many English clubs. were so arrogant they snubbed the early years of European football. To their credit United, under Matt Busby, were pioneers in the face of much criticism. The people who run football, and their client journalists, have always been slow to react and stuck in the past. I think this new FIFA event in 2025 is a great opportunity for progressive clubs like City.