Club World Cup pushback sees the possibility of player strike action raised again
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts after he delivers a speech during the Asian Football Confederation or AFC Annual Award Seoul 2023, ceremony at the Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Lee Jin-man]
A spokesperson for the global players’ union says a strike by top soccer stars cannot be ruled out as the newly expanded Club World Cup continues to face pushback. The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year. Its new format has faced a fierce backlash, with players’ union FIFPRO raising concerns about the physical and mental impact on players as a result of an increasingly congested schedule.
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