Manchester City and Chelsea forced to field strongest teams in Club World Cup

Manchester City and Chelsea are set to face a challenging schedule next summer as they will be required to play their top squads in the FIFA Club World Cup, while also releasing players for international duty just before the tournament. The revamped 32-team competition is slated to run from June 15 to July 13 in the United States, sparking a legal challenge from European leagues and unions against FIFA.

They accuse football's governing body of monopolising the tournament's scheduling without proper consultation regarding the broader international calendar.

Concerns from leagues about the summer event's impact on their schedules have intensified, especially regarding how players will manage a full three-week break and a complete pre-season ahead of the 2025-26 season starting in August. These worries were compounded after the Club World Cup regulations released on Tuesday mandated that clubs must field their strongest teams "throughout the tournament".

READ MORE:Three foods that can help reduce cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart attacks and stroke

READ MORE:The Newcastle United training ground moment which could be season's turning point

Last month, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola revealed his club had requested domestic fixtures to be postponed at the start of next season to accommodate their participation in the Club World Cup, but the Premier League had declined. Insiders pointed out that such conflicts between leagues and clubs were an inevitable consequence of FIFA's tournament scheduling.

Chelsea's star player, Cole Palmer, has been omitted from their squad for the Conference League's initial phase this autumn, keeping in mind the club's packed schedule. The Club World Cup is set to commence on June 15, but Chelsea will have to release international players like Palmer for the national team window running from June 2 to 10.

Interestingly, clubs participating can refuse to release players for international duty during the competition, thanks to an exemption to FIFA’s usual rules. The only tournament scheduled for next summer that would typically fall under this rule is the Gold Cup, involving teams from North and Central America as well as Caribbean island nations.

The Africa Cup of Nations, originally slated for next summer, will now kick off in December 2025. Clubs are permitted to include up to 35 players in their final Club World Cup squad list, with 26 named for each match day.

There will also be an in-tournament 'window' between June 27 and July 3 where players with expiring contracts can be replaced, and up to two new summer signings can be added to the existing 35-man squad. A maximum of six changes can be made during that window.

Players are reportedly considering boycotting their media and marketing obligations to raise awareness of welfare issues related to the tournament. This action would violate the tournament regulations, which require clubs to ensure that players and staff attend all such events.

The regulations also prohibit players and officials from displaying any political, religious or personal messages or slogans in any language or form.