Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti surprised many when an interview was released with Il Giornale in Italy saying that FIFA could forget about Los Blancos new 32-team tournament on in June 2025. The new competition will mean a potential further seven games for Real Madrid at the end of the season, taking their upper limit to 72 games.
Ancelotti criticised the tournament, saying that the financial incentives were not there for Real Madrid to attend the competition set to take place in the USA next season as one of the 12 participants from Europe.
Several hours later, Real Madrid released an official statement on their website, declaring their commitment.
“Real Madrid C.F. announces that at no time has its participation in the new Club World Cup to be organized by FIFA in the next 2024/2025 season been questioned. Therefore, our club will compete, as planned, in this official competition that we are facing. with pride and with the utmost enthusiasm to make our millions of fans around the world dream again with a new title.”
Not long after, Ancelotti himself walked back his words on Twitter, saying that his statements had not been interpreted as he had wanted them to be.
The tournament has received criticism from the likes of FIFPro, who accuse FIFA of jeopardising the safety of the players. In the past, both Pep Guardiola and Ancelotti have called on players to go on strike in order to halt the increasing demands on their bodies, and endangering of their careers.
