The Club World Cup is undergoing a revamp and its next edition, scheduled for June 2025, is going to see up to 32 teams competing for it. Real Madrid, being the European champions and one of the biggest clubs in the world, are expected to be one of these 32 teams.
However, doubts about the Merengues’ participation in this tournament were raised earlier in the day as the head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, claimed that there were some problems between the club and FIFA and that Real Madrid are not going to participate in this new version of the competition.
But this is not going to be the case as MARCA reports that the Madrid club itself has issued a statement that denies Ancelotti’s comments and ensures their participation in next year’s tournament. The club’s official statement goes as:
“Real Madrid C. F. states that at no point has its participation in the new Club World Cup organized by FIFA for the upcoming 2024/2025 season been questioned. Therefore, our club will participate, as planned, in this official competition that we face with pride and the utmost excitement to once again make our millions of fans around the world dream of a new title.”
This statement from Los Blancos confirms that things will go as planned, and Real Madrid will be competing for this trophy next summer. Furthermore, Carlo Ancelotti himself took to Twitter to explain himself and claimed that his comments had been misinterpreted:
“In my interview with Il Giornale, my words about the FIFA Club World Cup were not interpreted the way I intended. Nothing is further from my interest than rejecting the possibility of playing in a tournament that I consider a great opportunity to keep competing for major titles with Real Madrid.”
However, his earlier comments still provide a glimpse into the issues that governing bodies like FIFA and the biggest clubs in the world are facing, and what position the different parties have taken on this matter.
