17 December 2023 , 00:18
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FIFA’s controversial plans for a revamped Club World Cup threaten to completely reshape the 2025/26 Premier League season and push already overworked players even further.
Manchester City are flying out to Saudi Arabia straight after their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday to play in the current version of the Club World Cup. City, as Champions League winners, will take on the best club sides from other federations in an unloved format which takes place in the middle of the season.
But FIFA is plotting to vastly expand the tournament by holding it in the United States across 29 days between June 15 and July 13 in 2025. The governing body wants to invite 32 teams – 12 from Europe, six clubs from South America, four each from north/central America, Africa and Asia, as well as one from Oceania and one from the host country. The teams would play in eight groups of four before knockout rounds.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is behind the plans which, Sky News reports, are expected to be rubber-stamped by the FIFA Council in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Man City and Chelsea have already booked their places in the tournament, alongside Real Madrid, by winning the Champions League in recent seasons.
The plans, which already have the approval of the powerful European Club Association, would cause scheduling problems for the Premier League, whose clubs would normally be undertaking pre-season training over the summer. FIFPRO, the global players’ union, has reportedly told FIFA that players need at least 28 days off over the summer.
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If that recommendation was implemented, then the Premier League season could be pushed way back from its normal start in early August. This is particularly problematic for the 2025/26 season, because players need to be released by their clubs to national teams on May 25, 2026 ahead of the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
There is also the Community Shield to take into account, with the match between the Premier League champions and FA Cup holders due to take place just three weeks after the final of the Club World Cup. FIFPRO is concerned about the lack of rest for its members and the consequences of some players featuring in 80 matches across the 2025/26 season.
The Club Word Cup is currently taking place in Saudi Arabia (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of the Club World Cup plans? Comment below.
FIFPRO’s website says the “current match calendar management shows little regard for players' overall wellbeing and requires urgent reconsideration”. Meanwhile, the World Leagues Forum, which is chaired by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, said: “As the calendar is already overloaded, with longstanding domestic club competitions and ever-expanding international competitions, FIFA's decision creates the risk of fixture congestion, further player injuries and a distortion of competitive balance.”
Manchester United star Raphael Varane raised his concerns about the already gruelling schedule at the start of the season. "From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players' physical and mental well-being," he tweeted. "Despite our previous feedback, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players."