The inaugural edition of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup is set to commence in the United States next summer. This new tournament, positioned just a year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico, is already significantly influencing the strategic planning of Europe`s top football clubs. Traditionally, European clubs have their off-season during the summer months. However, with the Club World Cup taking place then, the usual break between seasons is being drastically shortened, compelling teams to rethink their preparation for the 2025-26 campaign.
Here are the twelve European clubs participating in the tournament:
- Chelsea
- Manchester City
- Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- Borussia Dortmund
- Inter
- Juventus
- PSG
- Porto
- Benfica
- RB Salzburg
Clubs Adapt Strategies Early
Among the twelve qualified teams, Real Madrid appears to be one of the most proactive in preparing for the upcoming summer tournament and the subsequent season. Reports suggest the Spanish giants have already secured deals for players like Liverpool`s Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires in June, and Bournemouth center-back Dean Huijsen. Furthermore, Real Madrid has reportedly decided to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new coach before the Club World Cup begins, with Carlo Ancelotti set to take over a role with Brazil from late May. This early coaching change, rather than waiting until the traditional summer break as other clubs might, is intended to allow the new manager to integrate his ideas and start working with the team during the tournament, compensating for the reduced pre-season time.
Others May Delay Changes
In contrast to Real Madrid`s approach, some clubs are reportedly postponing significant changes until after the tournament concludes. Juventus, for example, is expected to appoint a new permanent manager following caretaker Igor Tudor`s temporary role ending this season. However, the timing of a potential return for former manager Antonio Conte, currently at Napoli, remains uncertain but is rumored for July. If Conte were to rejoin the club where he previously captained and managed, he would likely commence his tenure during the pre-season period starting shortly after the Club World Cup final on July 13th.
An Added Transfer Opportunity
All participating clubs face challenges posed by the condensed schedule. Teams like PSG and Inter, potentially competing in major European finals shortly before the Club World Cup, will then see many of their players join national teams for World Cup qualifiers in early June. This leaves managers with very little time to work with their full squads ahead of the tournament. To mitigate issues arising from contracts expiring on June 30th (which falls during the Club World Cup), most leagues are expected to introduce an early transfer window in the first ten days of June. This allows teams to finalize contract matters and register new signings ahead of time.
For instance, this early window would enable a player like Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose Liverpool contract ends on June 30th, to formally complete a move to Real Madrid a month earlier and participate in the Club World Cup with his new team. The full repercussions of this altered calendar and the shortened off-season on the intensity and demands of the 2025-26 season, which runs until the 2026 World Cup, remain to be seen, as teams will have limited time to recover and prepare.
