Real Madrid Declines Club World Cup Invitation Amid Financial Dispute
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that the Spanish giants will not participate in next year’s Club World Cup.
The tournament is set to expand to 32 teams and will be held over four weeks in the US next summer, following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
Despite being a prominent club with five victories in the past nine years, Ancelotti stated that Real Madrid will not compete due to insufficient financial incentives from FIFA. He expects other clubs to follow their lead.
“FIFA forgets that the clubs and players will not participate in that tournament,” Ancelotti told Il Giornale, as quoted by Relevo. “A single Real Madrid match is worth €20 million (£17 million) and they want to give us that amount for the entire competition. Negative.”
FIFA’s decision to expand the Club World Cup has faced criticism recently over concerns about player welfare.
Premier League and La Liga officials have threatened to boycott the competition, accusing FIFA of “killing the game” by adding more matches to an already crowded football calendar.
PFA boss Maheta Molango has hinted at possible legal action against FIFA if they proceed with their expansion plans. “Those who run the game need to listen,” he told The Sun. “If they don’t, then as unions we have a responsibility to the players to take action—and the legal route is the next step. The governing bodies have had every chance to meaningfully engage with us on this, but they have failed to do so. Current player workloads are unsustainable.”
Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano also voiced concerns about the new 32-team format, suggesting it contributes to a scheduling crisis and indicating that the Premier League champions might reconsider their participation.
