The Premier League has announced an additional transfer window this summer to accommodate the two clubs participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.
At a shareholders meeting yesterday, England’s top-flight division agreed on a new summer transfer window format. The window will open early, between 1 June and 10 June, reopening on 16 June and closing again on 1 September.
Manchester City and Chelsea are set to compete in the revamped Club World Cup this summer, which will take place in the US between 15 June and 13 July. Given the dates of the tournament, FIFA approved an exceptional registration period in October.
FIFA wanted to offer participating clubs a chance to sign new players ahead of the group and knockout stages of the Club World Cup, hence the break in between. The Premier League has decided to follow suit to ensure that all of its 20 clubs have a level playing field with transfers.
The governing body only allows countries’ transfer windows to be open for 16 weeks per season. In England, there is traditionally a 12-week summer window and a four-week winter window.
FIFA Club World Controversy?
While this move aims to eliminate any registration advantage for Chelsea and Manchester City, it introduces other challenges. Several major fixtures are scheduled between 6-10 June, including World Cup qualifiers and the Nations League semi-finals and finals.
Additionally, many players competing in the Club World Cup will see their contracts expire during the tournament. To address this, FIFA has allowed clubs to sign players on short-term deals specifically covering the competition – a rule introduced just for this event.
As the global governing body for football, FIFA has the authority to implement such changes. However, the organisation has faced considerable scrutiny since unveiling the expanded format.
This year marks the first edition of the revamped Club World Cup, with FIFA expanding the tournament from seven to 32 teams. The decision follows UEFA’s move to increase the number of clubs in its own competitions – the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
With footballers experiencing more injuries due to increased intensity, longer matches and busier schedules, players and clubs have raised concerns about FIFA’s decision to add more fixtures.
In July, the European Leagues (EL) and FIFPRO Europe announced plans to file a complaint with the European Commission (EC) over FIFA’s match calendar.
In a statement, the duo claimed that the international calendar is “beyond saturation” and “unsustainable for national leagues,” posing a risk to player health. It added that “FIFA’s decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests.”
During a press conference last year at Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn shared his thoughts on the competition with Insider Sport.
He said: “I think there is a part of it that’s getting a little bit out of hand, especially the club World Cup next season.”
In response to these criticisms, FIFA pointed to UEFA’s expansion as well as the packed preseason tour schedules that have become standard for clubs worldwide.
Sitting on a commercial gold mine
FIFA also believes it has every right to expand the tournament, as it may be sitting on a competition with massive untapped commercial potential.
As mentioned earlier, the Club World Cup previously involved just seven teams and was viewed as pretty insignificant for most clubs – unless they won it, of course. Now, with 32 teams and 12 venues, the tournament is starting to resemble a true World Cup.
Amid ongoing controversy around the expansion, FIFA has secured deals with several commercial partners, including Coca-Cola, BEYOND Hospitality, DAZN and others.
Host cities in the US have also expressed gratitude. Jason Siegel, President and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, told Insider Sport about the positive impact the tournament will have on the city earlier this month.
Finally, this event will serve as a kind of preview for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place across North America, while its success is likely to shape public perception and future potential for the global competition.
