FIFA has published the regulations for the 2025 Club World Cup, a long-awaited document that clarifies the operational aspects of a tournament with unprecedented characteristics. The rules range from sanctions for those who withdraw at the last minute to staff management in the midst of competition. Everything is designed to impose order in a championship that poses logistical and sporting challenges.
The first section establishes that any club that, after committing, decides to withdraw in the thirty days prior to the start, will face a minimum fine of 500,000 Swiss francs (approximately 530,000 euros). The message is clear: signing up means assuming responsibilities, with no room for last-minute indecisions.
Although the 32 clubs have not yet been confirmed, FIFA has already announced how the tournament will be structured: the teams will be divided into eight groups of four, assigned according to sporting and geographical criteria. The best two from each group will advance to the round of 16, in a format that seeks to balance both regional talent and competitive level.
The template rules, however, present the most specific conditions. FIFA establishes that only those players registered with their clubs at the start of the tournament will be able to participate. Teams must present a final list of between 26 and 35 players, of which at least three must be goalkeepers. In each match, a maximum of 26 players can be called up, a number that combines flexibility and control in the development of the competition.
Then the most relevant novelty appears: in a tournament that extends between seasons, there will be players whose contracts expire in the middle of the competition. For these cases, FIFA will allow clubs to replace up to two players whose contract has ended naturally. It is a solution adjusted to the particularity of a championship that requires adaptation to the changes of season.
Furthermore, to avoid conflicts, FIFA has imposed a restrictive rule: no player can be part of the final roster of two clubs or play for more than one team in the same tournament. This means that, if Real Madrid signed Haaland in the middle of the championship, he would not be able to play if he were already on Manchester City’s list, even if he has not played a game.
Finally, to facilitate signings before the tournament, FIFA will open an additional window from June 1 to 10, giving clubs room to adjust their squads. It also recommends that clubs consider extending the contracts of those players whose contract expires on June 30, so that they can be available until the end of the championship.
This regulation, with its rules and provisions, attempts to anticipate the possible scenarios of a competition that will have its own complexity. It is not only about managing talent on the field, but also about adapting to a structure that will require organization and strategy inside and outside the game.
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