One of Manchester City’s biggest rivals for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup may not take part, with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti suggesting he will boycott the 2025 tournament.
City is one of 32 teams competing in an expanded Club World Cup tournament in the United States next summer in June and July. The new summer format replaces the traditional winter tournament which only features the Champions League winners from each continent and the host nation champion.
Currently, the Club World Cup is played every four years in the summer when there are no World Cup or continental competitions, with the Champions League winner guaranteed a place, plus other qualifiers based on coefficient rankings. City are considered one of the favourites to win the inaugural 32-team tournament, but Real Madrid pose a major obstacle to their hopes. City have been eliminated from the Champions League twice in the past three seasons.
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But Ancelotti told Italian media that Real would not accept qualification for next year’s Club World Cup, comparing the revenue Real would earn from pre-season tours with the prize money they would win.
Clubs competing in the Club World Cup are likely to miss out on their usual lucrative pre-season tours as the competition finishes in mid-July, and players are entitled to some time off before the season usually starts in early August.
“Neither the players nor the club will take part in the tournament,” Ancelotti told Il Giornale, suggesting other clubs agreed. “Each Real Madrid match is worth 20 million euros and FIFA wants to give us that amount for the whole tournament. That’s not right. Other clubs will reject the invitation, just like us.”
If Real Madrid do not take part in the tournament, their place would likely go to the European club with the next highest coefficient ranking that is not scheduled to take part, meaning Barcelona, Sevilla and Ajax could potentially qualify.
The tournament has been criticised for placing an extra burden on players, as European players could play matches until May 31 in the 2024/25 season and then compete in the Club World Cup from June 15 to July 13.