FIFA Defends Expanded Club World Cup Despite Concerns Over Player Welfare

MANCHESTER, England – FIFA has defended its newly expanded Club World Cup against accusations of overworked players by citing the longevity of elderly giants such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Concerns about players’ physical and mental health were expressed as the world soccer governing body added a 32-team competition to an already crowded calendar.

Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development, stated on Tuesday that there have been “huge improvements on the welfare side” in areas such as nutrition, injury prevention, and medical technology and that players are functioning at their peak for longer periods.

“We see players over 35 receiving world awards, such as Messi, Ronaldo, and (Karim) Benzema.” It is not uncommon for overseas careers to last more than 20 years. That was not feasible not long ago,” claimed former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

FIFA Defends Expanded Club World Cup Despite Concerns Over Player Welfare

The inaugural Club World Cup will be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.

“The positive impact that this will have on clubs is going to be huge, because it will increase resources for clubs all over the world to develop and to compete,” Wenger told the BBC. “There is demand for big competitions in football, and there has been a good support for this one.”

The European Club Association hailed the competition as “fantastic news for club football,” but the World Players’ Union FIFPRO slammed the plans.

It stated that the event’s scheduling demonstrated a “lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of participating players, as well as a disregard for their personal and family lives” without “further player workload safeguards.”

FIFPRO worries that the obligations imposed on players may jeopardize their careers.

Wenger stated that recovery periods will be observed during and after the event, but a FIFPRO analysis this year indicated that 43% of players surveyed from last year’s World Cup — which was hosted in the middle of several seasons in November and December — had “extreme or increased mental fatigue.”

The current format of the Club World Cup allows the champions of Europe and South America to play a maximum of two games. Teams would compete in a group stage, then knockout rounds from the round of 16 to the final for seven matches to determine the winner and runner-up.

The last Club World Cup in its current format is now in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Manchester City is seeking to win the Champions League for the first time.

If successful, the expanded version, which will be held every four years, might challenge the popularity of soccer’s most successful championships, such as the Premier League and Champions League.

FIFA Defends the Club World Cup Despite Concerns Over Player Welfare

FIFA, also known as the Federation Internationale de Football Association, is the global governing body for soccer. It is responsible for organizing international competitions such as the World Cup and setting the rules and regulations for the game.

Established in 1904, FIFA aims to promote and develop soccer worldwide. With 211 member associations, FIFA oversees the administration of the sport and ensures its growth and popularity on a global scale.

SOURCE – (AP)