1. Player Welfare Under Scrutiny Due to Packed Schedule

The decision by FIFA to expand the Club World Cup has drawn criticism from FIFPRO, the global football players’ union, and the World Leagues forum (WLF). Concerns center on the increased workload for players due to more matches and reduced rest time during the off-season.

FIFPRO issued a statement in December expressing concern for the “mental and physical health” of players, citing a lack of consideration for their well-being and personal lives. They pointed out the scheduling of the tournament between June 15 and July 13, 2025, without sufficient safeguards.

A blank” rel=”noopener”>report by FIFPRO and Football Benchmark indicated that several players bound for the Club World Cup are already among the most overworked this season.

The report highlighted Real Madrid‘s Federico Valverde, who had made 43 consecutive appearances with minimal recovery time. The WLF, representing 44 major professional leagues, voiced its displeasure at being excluded from FIFA’s decision-making process.

According to the Reuters news agency,Premier League chief Richard Masters,who chairs the WLF,accused FIFA of prioritizing commercial interests,suggesting the june-July schedule would negatively impact player availability for national leagues in August.

An elongated FIFA Club World Cup schedule in 2025 has reduced the already-short off season for many top players in the tournament, increasing the chance of injury, according to FIFPRO [File: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]2. Questions arise Over competitive Balance

While the expansion offers more teams a chance to compete against top clubs, it also raises concerns about the overall competitiveness of the tournament. With groups likely to contain multiple teams from Europe or South America, clubs from other confederations may face significant challenges.

As a notable example, Group G features Wydad AC from Morocco and Al Ain from the UAE Pro League alongside Manchester City and Juventus. Historically, European teams (UEFA) have dominated the Club World Cup, winning 16 of 20 editions, with the remaining four won by South American teams (CONMEBOL).

This historical dominance suggests that the presence of European and South American sides could lead to uneven matchups in the upcoming tournament.

Real Madrid are the most prosperous club in the Club World Cup, having won a record five titles [File: Josep Lago/AFP]

3. Notable Absences of Superstars and Top Teams

While Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are expected to participate, several elite players from the 2024-25 season will be absent.This includes Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.

Liverpool’s failure to qualify means that Salah, despite his outstanding season, will not be present. FIFA’s decision to grant a spot to the host nation, Inter Miami, has also been criticized, with some suggesting it was driven by a desire to include Messi.

Teams qualified based on winning their confederation’s premier club competitions or through a ranking system based on performance over four years. Barcelona, despite being La Liga champions, missed out due to the four-year club coefficient rankings and restrictions on the number of teams from one country.

The absence of Barcelona, along with talents like Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay from Napoli, further diminishes the star power of the tournament.

4. Special Transfer Window Adds Intrigue

FIFA has introduced a special transfer window, allowing participating clubs to make signings before the tournament. This window is divided into two periods: June 1-10 and June 27-July 3. The latter aims to facilitate participation for players with expiring contracts.

This move has fueled speculation about potential transfers, including cristiano Ronaldo. There were reports of a Brazilian club making an offer for Ronaldo, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino mentioned “discussions” about Ronaldo playing at the Club World Cup.

However, Ronaldo stated he had declined offers from participating clubs.A notable transfer that has already occurred is Real Madrid’s acquisition of Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool.

Real Madrid reportedly paid Liverpool 10 million euros ($11.4m) to secure Alexander-Arnold’s early arrival for the Club World Cup.

5.A Preview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The Club World Cup offers US fans a preview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. Several stadiums hosting Club World Cup matches will also be venues for the world Cup.

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the semifinals and final of the Club World Cup, as well as the final of the 2026 World Cup. Other shared venues include Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Seattle’s Lumen Field, and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

However, organizers have faced challenges in selling tickets for the Club World Cup.