FIFA has been threatened with legal action by FIFPro and the World Leagues Association, the bodies representing professional players and leagues, if it does not reschedule the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States.
As first reported by The Times, the two organizations wrote a joint letter to FIFA, seen by Athleticismto raise concerns over the expansion of the governing body’s international match schedule and the impact this is having on player welfare and the organization of domestic leagues.
Professional players’ union FIFPro and the World Leagues Association – which represents 46 domestic league competitions around the world, including Europe’s top five leagues and MLS – have been particularly challenged by the 2025 Club World Cup, which has been brought to 32 teams and takes place on 29 teams. days.
They say that if the governing body is unable to commit to a resolution, their members will be informed of their options, including legal action, for which the bodies say they have already sought external advice.
The letter does not propose alternative dates for holding the tournament, which is enthusiastically supported by many of the participating clubs.
FIFPro and the Association of World Leagues also called on FIFA to reconsider its international match schedule at this month’s FIFA Congress.
The 2025 Club World Cup is the first edition of the expanded tournament, which will take place every four years. Next summer’s tournament will feature 12 European teams, six CONMEBOL clubs and four CONCACAF teams and will take place in the United States between June 15 and July 13.
FIFA says the Club World Cup schedule – which will see 63 matches played between June 15 and July 13 – has been aligned with the international match schedule to allow enough time between the tournament final and the start of the new season in domestic leagues around the world. to guarantee the well-being of the players.
He adds that the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup will only account for 2.3 percent of matches held at club level over a four-year cycle.
The tournament was previously held annually, with seven teams competing. This competition will remain but has been renamed the Intercontinental Cup. FIFPro and the Association of World Leagues have also asked FIFA to reconsider this competition.
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FIFPro raised concerns about the Club World Cup when the new format was first announced, saying it “demonstrates a lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of participating players, as well as contempt for their personal and family lives.”
The European Club Association – the body which represents the interests of teams competing in UEFA club competitions – welcomed the revamped competition upon its announcement, calling it “fantastic news for club football in general”. .
Last month, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters criticized FIFA for its lack of consultation on the competition.
“The feedback we are getting from players is that we are playing too much football,” he said. “If you pour more liquid into an already full cup, it will overflow.”
The revamped tournament will feature eight groups of four teams, each playing each other once for the top two to advance to the round of 16, starting with the round of 16. These knockout matches will be played in singles format and there will be no third place play-off.
Subsequently, the international match schedule was amended from 2025 to provide for an extended international break in late September and early October replacing two separate windows.
The Club World Cup was previously held at the turn of the calendar year, during the traditional European domestic season, but the 2025 edition will take place in the middle of the year, during the North American and South American domestic seasons .
(Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images)