Spanish league attacks FIFA’s plan for bigger Club World Cup

By: The Associated Press Posted: 10:17 AM CST Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league isn't happy with FIFA’s plan for a bigger Club World Cup, and says it would do more harm than good.

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MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league isn't happy with FIFA’s plan for a bigger Club World Cup, and says it would do more harm than good.

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MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league isn’t happy with FIFA’s plan for a bigger Club World Cup, and says it would do more harm than good.

“FIFA only takes into account a small group of clubs and players, when in professional football there are many professional leagues, thousands of clubs and players who do not participate in these international competitions,” the Spanish league said Saturday.

“FIFA seems to forget that and only thinks of a few, without knowing the impact on all in professional football.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino meets the media at the FIFA World Cup closing press conference in Doha, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A day after FIFA president Gianni Infantino presented his vision of a 32-team Club World Cup for 2025, the Spanish league said this and other FIFA decisions “made unilaterally and without notice regarding the calendar with new international tournaments irreversibly damage the entire football ecosystem.”

The 2021 edition, won by Chelsea, involved seven teams.

Infantino, speaking at the World Cup in Qatar, said the 32-team Club World Cup “will go ahead, making it really like a World Cup.”

Infantino also floated the idea of a four-team friendly tournament for national sides in March in even-numbered years before major championships, along with other tweaks to the calendar. This comes after FIFA had already solidified plans to increase the World Cup field from 32 to 48 teams in 2026.

The Spanish league said it would consider taking legal action “to prevent the Club World Cup with the announced format.”

The World Leagues Forum had already voiced similar complaints about not being consulted before Infantino announced the plans. An expanded Club World Cup was also questioned by the global players’ union FIFPRO as being detrimental to players’ health.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports