FIFA have suffered a blow ahead of next summer’s new and expanded Club World Cup after Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed his side will refuse to play in the competition.
The tournament is set to take place between June 13 and July 15 next summer and has been increased to 32 clubs, up significantly up from the seven sides that took part in the previous edition in December 2023.
FIFA have come under fire for their plans from players’ union Fifpro who cited burnout concerns, while Ancelotti’s reason for his side snubbing the competition appear to be financial.
“Players and clubs will not participate in that tournament,” the former Chelsea boss told Italian newspaper, Il Giornale. “A single Real Madrid match is worth € i0 million and FIFA wants to give us that amount for the entire cup.
“Like us, other clubs will refuse the invitation.”
Real Madrid, who qualified for next summer’s tournament by winning the 2022 Champions League before claiming a 15th European Cup earlier this month, would be one of the competition’s big attractions, while his warning that other clubs will refuse to play will cause further concern at FIFA HQ.
FIFA were threatened with legal action last month by the World Leagues Association, a body that includes the Premier League, plus Fifpro. Their letter to FIFA urged them to reschedule the tournament, as it will cause ‘economic harm’ to domestic leagues, while also citing concerns over player welfare.
Refusing to back down, FIFA insisted they were ‘fully within its rights’ to dictate the parameters of the tournament.
The new format will see 12 teams from UEFA, six from Conmebol, four from each of Concaf, CAD and the AFC, plus one from Oceania’s OFC and one from the host nation, which is due to the USA next summer.
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