The expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is fast approaching, set to begin in under a month. Many European clubs, particularly those most affected by this new summer tournament, are already strategizing and making adjustments ahead of its first edition in the United States, just one year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Taking place in the summer, a time traditionally free of major club competitions in Europe, the tournament is forcing major clubs to rethink their planning not only for the summer but also for the entire 2025-26 season, as there will be minimal downtime between the Club World Cup`s end and the start of pre-season. Let`s look at the 12 European teams participating:
- Chelsea
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- Borussia Dortmund
- Inter
- Juventus
- PSG
- Porto
- Benfica
- RB Salzburg
Clubs Adapting Early
Among the 12 participants, Real Madrid appears to be the most proactive in preparing for the summer and the subsequent season. The Spanish giants have reportedly secured deals for Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires in late June, and defender Dean Huijsen. Furthermore, Real Madrid has decided to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new coach *before* the Club World Cup starts, with Carlo Ancelotti moving to a new role in Brazil from May 26. The club chose not to delay this transition until summer, unlike perhaps other teams, opting instead to immediately begin a new era under Alonso. He will start working on his new system during the tournament, leveraging the opportunity provided by the compressed pre-season schedule, which means some players will need extended breaks before the 2025-26 season begins. The early change aims to maximize preparation time.
Others Await the Tournament`s End
Conversely, some clubs, like Juventus, are postponing their major summer changes. The Italian powerhouse is expected to appoint a new permanent manager, as caretaker Igor Tudor took over from Thiago Motta in March until the current season`s end. Uncertainty surrounds what will happen post-Club World Cup, with strong speculation pointing towards the return of current Napoli manager Antonio Conte in July. If Conte does come back to the club where he was formerly captain and manager (2011-2014), he would likely commence work during the pre-season, starting in July, only days after the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on July 13th.
The Unique Transfer Window
All participating clubs, including Real Madrid and Juventus, face significant impacts from the schedule and upcoming events. For instance, PSG and Inter are scheduled to play the Champions League final on May 31st, just two weeks before the US-based tournament kicks off. However, many of their players will be involved in national team matches for 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the first week of June. This means managers won`t have their full squads available until the week immediately preceding the Club World Cup. To address this scheduling clash and accommodate contracts expiring on June 30th (mid-tournament), most leagues will permit teams to make transfer moves during the first ten days of June via an early summer transfer window.
This early window allows players like Alexander-Arnold, whose Liverpool contract ends June 30th, to potentially join Real Madrid a month earlier and be eligible to play in the FIFA Club World Cup with his new team. Clearly, this situation is novel for most teams, and its full consequences for the 2025-26 season remain unknown. The lack of adequate recovery time before the new season, which will run until the 2026 World Cup, presents a challenge for team energy levels.
Adrian Whitmore