FIFA threatened with legal action over scheduling of Club World Cup | OneFootball

The international players’ union have warned FIFA to postpone the expanded Club World Cup or face legal action.

They have raised concerns the expanded 32-team tournament, set to be staged in the United States in June and July 2025, affects the ‘health and wellbeing of players’.

Manchester City and Chelsea will be England’s representatives, while the event also includes Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

However, FIFPRO and the World Leagues Association (WLA) are demanding that FIFA reschedule its new club flagship tournament.

They have written a joint letter to FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino (as per the Guardian): “FIFA’s recent strategic approach of developing its own competitions – such as the World Cup, the Club World Cup or the Intercontinental Cup – is adversely disrupting the football industry, jeopardising national leagues and affecting the health and wellbeing of players.

“Over a significant period, FIFA has ignored repeated attempts by leagues and unions to engage on this issue.

“Leagues and players cannot simply be expected to ‘adapt’ to FIFA’s decisions, which are driven by FIFA’s business strategy. We have reached the point where this situation must immediately be addressed both from a procedural and substantive perspective.”

FIFPRO and the WLA also urged the governing body to announce the rescheduling of the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup at its global congress in Bangkok next week.

The letter says if their demands are not met, they ‘shall be compelled to advise our members on the options available to them – to ­proactively safeguard their interests. These options include legal action against Fifa, on which we have now commissioned external expert advice’.

Man City are the current Club World Cup holders, having defeated Fluminense 4-0 in Saudi Arabia last December.

Madrid have the distinction of being the most successful team in the competition with five wins.