Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has said Fifa have no chance of Real Madrid taking part in the 2025 Club World Cup and claimed other clubs will also refuse to be involved.
The competition usually takes place in December and January but an expanded version, featuring 32 clubs from across the world, has been controversially scheduled by the governing body for June and July 2025 in the US.
Last month, the FIFPro and World Leagues Association unions announced potential legal action if the dates were not changed.
#FIFPRO‘s reaction to the FIFA Council’s decision to schedule the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup from mid-June to mid-July. pic.twitter.com/ejAVd7Jzpv
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) December 17, 2023
“Fifa can forget about it,” Ancelotti told Il Giornale. “The club and the footballers won’t participate in that tournament.
“One Real Madrid game is worth 20 million and Fifa wants to give us that sum for the entire tournament. No way. Like us, other clubs will refuse the invitation.”
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Club World Cup 2025: Fifa criticised
Fifa responded in a letter to the unions rejecting their claims that they had not been consulted and disagreeing with their appraisal of the situation, according to BBC Sport.
The 2023 edition featured the winners of the six continental confederations and the champions of host nation Saudi Arabia, Al-Ittihad.
Premier League champions Manchester City won the final on December 22, beating Brazilian opponents Fluminense.
Ancelotti: Kroos ‘can make a call’
Ancelotti guided Madrid to the Spanish title and Uefa Champions League glory for the 14th time in their history last season.
The 65-year-old said he will be watching Euro 2024 this month, praising one of his players involved, Luka Modric, while hoping another, Toni Kroos, might reverse his decision to retire after the finals.
“Modric is a unique example of quality and personality,” Ancelotti said of the Croatia playmaker.
“Unfortunately, Kroos has decided to stop… but he will continue to live in Madrid. I told him that if, in the autumn, he changes his mind, make a phone call and we’ll start again.
“I’m very curious about Germany at home. They have an interesting team. [Italy] lacked generational change after the victory in the last edition, so I don’t really know what our chances might be.”
