CLUB WORLD CUP

CAF president Motsepe slams expanded FIFA Club World Cup

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

President of the Confederation of African Football, Patrice Motsepe has joined the growing army of the critics of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup.

It is generally believed by football’s stakeholders that the expanded 2025 Club World Cup has increased the burden on footballers.

A competition that lasted around 10 days and involved a maximum of two matches for the big teams will now span a month and require seven matches for victory.

Moreover, it has put the organisation of CAF’s major tournament into disarray as CAF had to rigorously search for a window to be able to hold its flagship competition, the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.

As it is, the competition can only hold 13 months after the qualifiers would have merged. Similarly, FIFA’s congested programmes set the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations off balance.

No window has yet emerged for the annual Women’s CAF Champions League. Motsepe told BBC that top-level footballers playing too many games will have a damaging effect on the sport in future.

According to BBC online, in recent weeks, a handful of leading figures in the game have spoken out against the increase in games, with Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri saying players are close to going on strike.

“We don’t want them (the footballers) to play more than they should – it’s not good for football, and it’s not good for the long-term success of the sport,” Motsepe told BBC Sport Africa.

“The commitment from all stakeholders is indeed the players’ health and condition, and the frequency which they have to be on the field is important to us.”

Motsepe is the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns and the South African club provides a good example of the workload faced by leading players.

Should South Africa qualify for the next World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), then Sundowns players – ten of whom were in the squad that finished third at this year’s Afcon – would not have a break until mid-2027.

This is because Fifa’s Club World Cup is in June-July 2025, the following season contains a Nations Cup running from December 2025-January 2026, and the World Cup then takes place in June-July 2026.

In Europe, where the Champions League now has two extra games, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is considering mid-season holidays for his squad while Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, a team-mate of Egypt star Mohamed Salah, said players are tired of “having more games”.

“Part of what we have to do is to keep talking, keep engaging but also keep listening,” said Motsepe.

“Solutions will be found that are in the interests of all parties.”

CLUB WORLD CUP

SHOCKER! Real Madrid pull out of Club World Cup

Published

3 months ago

June 10, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Champions League - Final - Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 1, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti celebrates with the trophy after winning the Champions League REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

The expanded FIFA Club World Cup which has put the organisation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in disarray, is beginning to crumble.

Cup holders, Real Madrid, have indicated their intention not to participate.

Earlier on, the umbrella body of professional footballers has also frowned at the fixtures congestion which the novel competition appears to have caused.

According to Reuters’ report, Real Madrid will decline FIFA’s invitation to participate in the Club World Cup as the governing body have undervalued the compensation the 15-times Champions League winners should receive, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

FIFA’s revamped international tournament, with 32 teams, is set to take place in the United States at the end of next season, with Europe’s best-ranked 12 clubs among those invited.

Ancelotti, one of the most successful football managers in Europe, has won the Club World Cup three times and the Champions League five times.

“FIFA can forget it, footballers and clubs will not participate in that tournament,” Ancelotti told Italian daily Il Giornale in an interview published on Monday to coincide with his 65th birthday.

“A single Real Madrid match is worth 20 million and FIFA wants to give us that amount for the whole cup. Negative. Like us, other clubs will refuse the invitation.”

Ancelotti, who led Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season, said there had been a lot of pressure on managers lately but he had managed to stay passionate about his job.

“I see nothing particularly new, this has always been our job but the case of (former Liverpool manager Juergen) Klopp is significant. The pressure continues, the burden of responsibility becomes too heavy, obsession takes over,” he said.

“I keep my passion, that’s how I live the match, the game, my job; I’ve always carried this balance with me. I’ve overcome moments that weren’t always positive; after my experience with Everton I was off the radar, they thought I was finished, I was old.”

With all three European club competitions expanded to 36 teams from next season, the Club World Cup has come under scrutiny for saturating the football calendar.

In May, FIFA said they would not consider rescheduling their 32-team Club World Cup after global players’ union FIFPRO and the World Leagues Association (WLA) threatened legal action if they did not review their plans.

CLUB WORLD CUP

FIFA counters players’ union; defends Club World Cup schedule

Published

4 months ago

May 10, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are the Club World Cup holders

World football governing body Fifa has rejected claims that Fifpro and the World Leagues Association were not consulted over plans to host a 32-team Club World Cup.

It comes after players’ union Fifpro and the WLA called on Fifa to reschedule the tournament, due to take place next summer, amid a threat of legal action.

Fifpro and the WLA said “players are being pushed beyond their limits”.

In a letter sent to Fifpro and the WLA, which has been seen by BBC Sport, Fifa says it has “a duty and responsibility” to implement an international match calendar in the “best interests of world football”.

Fifa insisted Fifpro and the WLA were consulted about changes to the overall 2025-30 international match calendar, including the 2025 Club World Cup, which was confirmed by the Fifa Council in December 2022.

Although it says it is open to talks, Fifa has no intention of altering next year’s Club World Cup, saying it is “fully within our rights to set the parameters of our competitions whilst respecting the regulatory framework in place”.

Manchester City and Chelsea are among the 12 European representatives at the expanded Club World Cup, to be held in the USA between 13 June and 15 July 2025.

Fifa point out that domestic member leagues of the WLA, such as the Premier League, can arrange their own competitions, noting the organisation of “international tours” in recent years.

Last summer, the Premier League hosted a six-team summer series in the USA, involving Chelsea, Newcastle, Brighton, Fulham, Aston Villa and Brentford.

Fifa also asked if Fifpro and the WLA had been in touch with other bodies, given their games “are responsible for a fractional amount of the total elite club games around the world”.

“While we disagree with the tenor and content of your letter, we have nonetheless taken note of your concerns and are more than happy to invite you to discuss the matter further at a time convenient to you,” Fifa added.

-BBC

CLUB WORLD CUP

Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis qualify for Club World Cup

Published

5 months ago

April 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

CAF President’s Club, Sundowns Is South Africa Bafana Bafana’s Backbone -

South African and Tunisian clubs become latest teams to secure their places at the global tournament which takes place in the United States.

Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis have become the third and fourth CAF teams to book their tickets to the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™), completing the list of qualifiers from Africa.

With previous winners Al Ahly of Egypt through to the CAF Champions League final once again, both the South African side and the Tunisian outfit are now guaranteed a ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup via the ranking pathway at least.

The new 32-team competition, which will take place in the United States during June and July 2025, features clubs from each of the six confederations competing for the title of world champions.

With four spots at the FIFA Club World Cup for CAF teams, Al Ahly – the winners of the 2020/21 and 2022/23 CAF Champions League – had secured one place, while 2021/22 edition champions Wydad claimed another.

There is still the opportunity for ES Tunis to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup as continental champions, as they will meet Al Ahly in the two-legged CAF Champions League final on 18 May and 25 May.

And in this instance, Mamelodi Sundowns would join them in booking a ticket to the USA next summer via the ranking pathway, despite their semi-final exit, due to their CAF Champions League performances over the past four seasons.

Should Al Ahly win the CAF Champions League – which would be their third continental title over the past four seasons – they would be joined by both Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis at the FIFA Club World Cup via the ranking pathway.

This is because, in the event of a club winning two or more editions of the confederation’s premier club competition during the 2021-2024 period, the ranking pathway will be used to grant access.

Clubs that have qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Africa (CAF)

Wydad (Morocco)

Al Ahly (Egypt)

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

ES Tunis (Tunisia)

Asia (AFC)

Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)

Ulsan HD FC (Korea Republic)

Europe (UEFA)

Chelsea (England)