It has been reported that FIFA has recently received threats of legal action from the World Leagues Organisation and Fifpro based on their recent announcement of the FIFA Club World Cup. There are huge concerns about player welfare and widespread unhappiness about the proposed event schedule.
FIFA vs World Leagues and Fifpro: What’s Happening?
In a bid to put a stop to FIFA’s plans to start a new Club World Cup in 2025, Fifpro and the World League’s Organisation are reported to have sent a strongly worded letter to the governing body of world football. Voicing their concerns in this letter about the proposed expanded edition of the Club World Cup set to take place in the United States next year, there is debate as to whether the player’s welfare is being taken into consideration. The newly proposed Club World Cup will see top European teams such as Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid competing against top teams from around the world.
It seems that Fifpro and the World Leagues Organisation are worried that there will be negative effects from FIFA’s decision to extend the schedule of matches for the Club World Cup. There are arguments that the decision could bring severe economic harm to the domestic leagues and greatly increase the risk of player injury due to the increased number of games. Additionally, they imply that FIFA are putting their own financial interests ahead of player well-being and the game’s reputation and integrity.
So, What’s the Outcome?
FIFA has been urged to reassess the competition’s schedule and to hold more talks over the international calendar. This appeal has been made just in time for the FIFA Council Meering that will take place in Bangkok later this month. At this meeting, there will be discussions about the future of football competitions and should FIFA reject their requests, they may find themselves in the middle of a lawsuit.
The new Club World Cup is projected to take place from June 15th to July 13th 2025 and will consist of three group matches and up to four knockout games. As a result, there have been concerns about player exhaustion given that they will need to return to playing just two weeks after the Champions League Final.
Meanwhile, the Intercontinental Cup, which will replace the current Club World Cup, will continue to be held in December and will once again include the Champions League champions as the only participants from Europe. The World Leagues organisation and Fifpro support the tournament’s cancellation because they believe it is unnecessary and could be harmful to the welfare of the players. FIFA is facing increasing criticism from important football community stakeholders, and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup could be in jeopardy.
