At the forefront of the opposition against FIFA are Richard Masters, the head of the Premier League, Maheta Molango, who leads the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), and Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga. These influential figures are scheduled to convene on Thursday at the FIFPRO and PFA Player Workload Conference in London to deliberate on the future of the tournament. They have not discounted the possibility of resorting to legal measures if their demands are disregarded. Their primary contention revolves around the proposed schedule for the revamped Club World Cup, slated to take place in the USA next summer. They argue that this timetable places an excessive burden on both players and clubs.
Molango has been particularly outspoken, expressing his dissatisfaction with the current trajectory of football governance. He remarked to SunSport, “Football is killing its own product, 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. People are realising the amount of games being pushed into the fixture calendar just don’t fit.”
At the heart of the opposition against the expanded Club World Cup lies the issue of player well-being. The proposed format entails three group-stage matches followed by as many as four knockout games, all compressed within the timeframe of June 15 to July 13. This condensed schedule would see players returning to competitive action a mere fortnight after the conclusion of the Champions League final, allowing insufficient time for recuperation. FIFPRO, alongside the PFA, has emphasized that this contravenes the stipulated minimum three-week rest period outlined in professional contracts, heightening the risk of injuries and player fatigue.
The escalating pressure exerted by prominent football stakeholders may compel FIFA to reconsider its stance. It has been reported that legal experts are already preparing documentation in anticipation of a potential standoff, should FIFA persist in its refusal to amend the tournament timetable.