May 10, (THEWILL) – The world’s football governing body, FIFA, is facing the threat of legal action from two prominent organisations, the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) and the World Leagues Association (WLA). This comes in response to FIFA’s plans to host a 32-team Club World Cup at the end of the 2024/2025 season.
The issue stems from the expansion of major club competitions including all three European club tournaments, which will increase to 36 teams from the upcoming 2024/2025 season. Compounding this, the proposed 32-team FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
In a letter addressed to FIFA President, Gianni Infantino and Secretary General, Mattias Grafstrom, FIFPro and WLA expressed grave concerns over the expanded competitions. They argue that the global football calendar is already overburdened, leaving national leagues unable to properly organise their competitions, while players are being pushed beyond their limits, increasing the risk of significant injuries.
The letter further states that this burden “is inherently abusive … (and) jeopardising national leagues and affecting the health and wellbeing of players.” FIFA has not yet responded or made any comments on the letter, and FIFPro and WLA have not provided additional information regarding their concerns.
FIFPro and WLA aim to discuss these issues before FIFA’s ruling council at the 211-member federation’s meeting on May 17 in Bangkok, Thailand. If FIFA refuses to commit to resolving the issues, the letter reportedly states that FIFPro and WLA will advise their members of their options, including taking legal action against FIFA.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
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