Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has announced that the club will not be participating in the 2025 Club World Cup. The tournament is set to take place in the United States in June and July 2025 and will feature 32 teams from around the world. This decision was explained further in an interview with Italian newspaper Il Giornale, where Ancelotti expressed that the club and its players will not be taking part in the competition.
In addition to Real Madrid, other clubs are expected to follow suit in refusing the invitation. Out of the 32 teams slated to compete, only three spots remain open, with 29 teams having already qualified through a “champions pathway” by winning their continental club competitions or a “ranking pathway” linked to past performance in international competitions.
One of the main criticisms of the tournament is its added strain on players during the 2024-25 season. Teams have expressed concerns about player contracts overlapping with the tournament dates, as European leagues typically expire at the end of June while the Club World Cup will still be ongoing. FIFA has yet to address how they plan to resolve this issue, but Ancelotti’s statements serve as a warning sign that needs to be taken seriously by all parties involved.
Overall, it seems that there are significant challenges associated with hosting such a large-scale event during an already busy season for players and clubs alike. It remains to be seen whether these challenges can be overcome without causing undue stress on players and jeopardizing their performance on field.
