Bavaria and BVB are also affected
Players and leagues threaten FIFA over the Club World Cup
May 9, 2024, 8:00 p.m
A new Club World Cup is actually scheduled to take place for the first time in June 2025. 32 teams from all over the world will play for the club world champion – at least that’s FIFA’s plan. But both the players’ union and dozens of leagues are threatening the world association.
Two influential football organizations are threatening the world association FIFA with legal action because of the expanded calendar, including the enlarged Club World Cup. The players’ union Fifpro and the World Leagues Association WLA, an association of 46 international leagues, accuse the world association of unilateral decisions. These would benefit its own competitions and commercial interests. This emerges from a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, which was available to the German Press Agency.
It calls on FIFA to postpone the Club World Cup planned for June 2025 with 32 teams, including FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. In addition, there must be a new debate about the calendar until 2030, which regulates the secondments for national teams.
If FIFA refuses, its own interests must be proactively protected, the letter says. This includes legal action against FIFA, warn Fifpro and the WLA, which also includes the Bundesliga. Both want to increase the pressure on FIFA in the debate before the world association’s congress in Bangkok next Friday. The world association was asked for a statement.
From 2025, the Club World Cup will take place with 32 teams instead of the previous seven. The new tournament, planned every four years, replaces the previous mini World Cup.