FIFA, the global governing body for soccer, is facing a lawsuit from 39 national federations.
Feature 32 Teams
According to Ziare the lawsuit centers on the congested match schedule resulting from FIFA's decision to introduce a new competition, the Club World Cup, in 2025. This tournament will follow a format similar to the FIFA World Cup prior to 2022, exacerbating the already packed calendars of top-tier clubs, which could see teams playing over 60 matches in a single season.
The new format for the Club World Cup will feature 32 teams from six international confederations. The distribution of teams will include four from CAF (Africa), four from AFC (Asia), four from CONCACAF (North, Central America, and the Caribbean), twelve from UEFA (Europe), six from CONMEBOL (South America), and one from OFC (Oceania).
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Can Lead to More Injuries
Adding to the congestion, FIFA intends to retain the current Club World Cup format and introduce a new competition, the Intercontinental Cup. In this new tournament, the European representative would automatically advance to the final.
The federations argue that the introduction of the new Club World Cup format places an undue burden on clubs and players. The increased number of matches strains the physical and mental health of players, potentially leading to more injuries and decreased performance quality.
Despite these concerns, FIFA is pushing forward with its plans, citing the global appeal and financial benefits of expanding the Club World Cup. However, the opposing federations believe that the decision was made without adequate consultation or consideration of the long-term impact on the sport.
