Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has announced that the Spanish giants will refuse the invitation to take part in the upcoming FIFA World Club Cup due to their dissatisfaction with the tournament’s prize money.
In December 2023, FIFA announced a change to the tournament’s format, expanding it to 32 teams. The first edition will span four weeks in the US next summer, following the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.
Real Madrid, one of the teams expected to participate in the tournament, has won the Club World Cup five times in the last 10 years.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Il Giornale, Ancelotti stated that his side will reject the tournament like other teams.
He said, “FIFA forgets that the clubs and players will not participate in that tournament,’ Ancelotti said in an interview with Il Giornale.
“A single Real Madrid match is worth €20m (£17m) and they want to give us that money for the entire competition. Negative.
“Real Madrid, like other clubs, we will decline the invitation.”
In recent weeks, FIFA’s decision to expand the Club World Cup has faced criticism, primarily due to concerns over player welfare.
In May, England’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) warned FIFA that players could go on strike in their bid to cut down on the number of matches they play.
The Sun reports that PFA chief executive Maheta Molango revealed that legal action might be taken against FIFA if they fail to backtrack on their plans to expand the Club World Cup.
“Those who run the game need to listen. 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, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Borussia Dortmund, Flamengo, and Seattle Sounders are some of the teams that have qualified for the Club World Cup.
