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      Fifa introduce unprecedented THIRD transfer window with major change set to come in next year

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      FIFA have announced a special transfer loophole will be created for next summer’s new Club World Cup.Chelsea and Manchester City will be England’s representatives in the 32-team tournament to be played in the USA.Fifa have announced a new transfer window will be introduced next summerCredit: AFPThe changes will affect clubs competing in the expanded Club World CupCredit: GettyAnd both Prem clubs – and their rivals – will be able to complete some of next season’s transfers early to allow the players to take part in Fifa’s new flagship competition.Under current transfer regulations, the majority of contracts, alongside player registration periods, run until June 30.The new competition will be played from June 15 to July 13 – meaning that players and managers  could theoretically be out of contract half-way through.Current contracts for City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan will expire on June 30, as will Pep Guardiola’s, although the manager has indicated he is keen to sign a new deal.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLJadon Sancho’s loan spell at Chelsea is also due to finish on the same date, while Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich have SEVEN senior players out of contract at the end of the season.But at Thursday’s meeting of Fifa’s ruling Council, global chiefs agreed “unanimously” to bring in rules that will only apply to the 32 teams taking part.As long as their national associations, including the FA, agree, competing clubs will be allowed an 10-day “exceptional registration window” from June 1, allowing players joining them to play in the planned £600m prize fund tournament.There will also be a second temporary window lasting six days from June 27 for participating clubs to replace or re-register players who start the tournament on their books but whose contract then lapse mid-competition.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe changes mean Bayern could end up facing Real Madrid target, Canada’s Alphonse Davies, former Etihad winger Leroy Sane, versatile defender and midfielder Joshua Kimmich or keeper Manuel Neuer in the US less than three weeks after they feature for the Bavarians in the Champions League Final in the Allianz Arena.Early registration will only be permitted if both clubs and the players involved approve and nobody will be allowed to play for two teams during the month of action.Premier League joins move to boycott Fifa Club World CupKevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan’s contracts currently expire during the tournamentCredit: AlamyFifa said the “objective” was to “encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players’ participation”.In an additional move, Fifa chiefs agreed that any players called up for the Concacaf Gold Cup taking place on the west coast of the USA at the same time will have the choice of whether to represent their club or nation.That mainly applies to Mexican players, with three clubs – Monterrey, Club Leon and Pachuca – having qualified for the Fifa tournament but would also see left-back Davies having to choose between club or country.Fifa President Gianni Infantino said: “The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will kick off a new era for club football across the world, with the top teams competing to be crowned the official FIFA club world champions.“These regulations will ensure that the best possible conditions are in place in order for all 32 participating clubs and the best players in the world to shine at the highest level.”Bayern Munich have seven players out of contract at the end of June 2025Credit: AFP More

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      Fifa confirm 12 stadiums for new-look Club World Cup including TWO £1.2BILLION NFL grounds and 88,500-seat Olympic venue

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      FIFA have confirmed the 12 stadiums that will host games for the new-look Club World Cup set to begin this season.The tournament, scheduled to begin on June 15, will take place in the USA and has already sparked controversy over its format.Fifa have confirmed the 12 stadiums that will be used for the Club World CupCredit: GettyThe Atlanta’s Falcon’s £1.2bn home – Mercedes-Benz Stadium – will be one arena used for the tournamentCredit: ReutersDC United’s Audi Field will host matches despite holding just 20,000 fansCredit: ReutersThe US, who will also be hosting the World Cup proper in 2026 alongside Mexico and Canada, will offer up 12 incredible stadiums for the tournament. Some 32 teams will compete in 63 matches across the 12 arenas to earn the title of Club World Cup champions.The chosen grounds range from capacities of 20,000 to a whopping 88,500.The matches will stretch from coast to coast with games played in iconic US cities like Los Angeles, Nashville and Washington D.C.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe smallest stadium set to be used is Audi Field in Washington D.C. Home of MLS side DC United, the 20,000 seater stadium is one of few purpose built football grounds in the lineup.Just three other MLS-only grounds are being used for the tournament, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati; Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee; Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando.While six NFL stadiums will be commandeered by the footballing world this summer – including TWO £1.2BILLION super stadiums.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSEvery Club World Cup stadiumHere’s a look at every stadium being used for the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup in the USA…Mercedes-Benz StadiumLocation: Atlanta, GACapacity: 75,000Bank of America StadiumLocation: Charlotte, NCCapacity: 75,000TQL StadiumLocation: Cincinnati, OHCapacity: 26,000Rose Bowl StadiumLocation: Los Angeles, CACapacity: 88,500Hard Rock StadiumLocation: Miami, FLCapacity: 65,000GEODIS ParkLocation: Nashville, TNCapacity: 30,000MetLife StadiumLocation: New York New JerseyCapacity: 82,500Camping World StadiumLocation: Orlando, FLCapacity: 65,000Inter&Co StadiumLocation: Orlando, FLCapacity: 25,000Lincoln Financial FieldLocation: Philadelphia, PACapacity: 69,000Lumen FieldLocation: Seattle, WACapacity: 69,000Audi FieldLocation: Washington, D.C.Capacity: 20,000Both the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, and the MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and New York Giants, will host matches for the controversial tournament. The largest stadium announced as a host ground is the iconic Rose Bowl in California.Premier League joins move to boycott Fifa Club World CupThe former Olympic stadium will boast a capacity of 88,500 for the upcoming tournament and has held a record 106,869 fans in the past.The incredible colosseum-like arena is recognised as a National Historic Landmark in the US and is best known for its use as a venue for college level American football in the States. Fifa announced the 12-strong list on Saturday in New York City as they continue to hype up their new-look tournament.Despite a new model that will see 32 teams from six continental confederations face off against each other, there has been huge backlash against the fast-approaching tournament.Players have expressed their concerns over hectic calendars leaving them with no time for recovery this summer.While Fifpro, the players’ international federation, claimed that the scheduling “will undercut the rest and recovery time of these players at the end of the 2024-25 season”.Adding that they believe that Fifa’s new plan “demonstrates a lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of participating players, as well as a disregard for their personal and family lives.”The Premier League has also threatened a boycott of the competition with PFA boss Maheta Molango telling SunSport: “Football is killing its own product.”Those who run the game need to listen. If they don’t, then as unions we have a responsibility to the players to take action — and the legal route is the next step.”At the moment Chelsea and Manchester City are the only two Premier League clubs set to participate in the competition next year.Despite the tournament being just around the corner, Fifa are yet to announce any broadcast agreements for the Club World Cup.READ MORE SUN STORIESFootball’s governing body claim that this summer’s tournament will “crown the ultimate global champion”.While some clubs have been disappointed to be left out of contention with the tournament understood to be offering up some £600m in prize money.Teams competing in the Club World CupHere’s a look at which teams will play in next summer’s Club World Cup…Europe: Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Real Madrid, Red Bull SalzburgSouth America: Boca Juniors, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palameiras, River PlateNorth and Central America and Caribbean: León, Monterrey, Pachuca, Seattle SoundersAfrica: Al Ahly, Espérance, Mamelodi Sundowns, WaydadAsia: Al-Hilal, Al Ain, Ulsan, UrawaOceania: Auckland CityThe iconic Rose Bowl will host a number of gamesCredit: GettyLincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, will also host matchesCredit: ReutersThe Hard Rock Stadium in Miami is one of the host groundsCredit: GettyOrlando City’s Inter & Co Stadium is one of few custom-built MLS stadiums to be used for the tournamentCredit: ReutersMetLife Stadium is another £1.2bn arena that will host matchesCredit: Getty More

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      Kevin De Bruyne could leave Man City midway through tournament with Real Madrid also facing contract chaos

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      KEVIN DE BRYUNE is one of a number of top stars who could leave their clubs next summer in the MIDDLE of the new Club World Cup.The newly expanded tournament will feature 32 teams – the Premier League’s representatives are Manchester City and Chelsea – playing in the United States across June and July.Kevin De Bruyne is among the stars whose contracts are expiring in the middle of the Club World Cup next summerCredit: GettyReal Madrid’s Luka Modric is another star with this problemCredit: AlamyHowever, Fifa has yet to secure a TV deal for the tournament and confirm venues the games will be played at before the July 13 final.It has been heavily criticised for adding more fixtures to an already packed calendar.And these are not the only headaches looming over the tournament.According to The Telegraph, players competing in the tournament have begun seeing clarity over their contract situations.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThis is because the dates of the competition overlap June 30, which is the year-end for registrations globally recognised by Fifa.Several top stars will see their contract expire on the date next summer, meaning in theory that players could start playing the tournament for one team and end it with another.Belgium international De Bruyne is one of these.The report states many more players from the 12 Uefa clubs in the tournament have also asked for clarity over whether they would be allowed to compete due to their contracts being up.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSOne source said: “If this had been held last summer, Kylian Mbappe would have started the Club World Cup playing for PSG and ended it at Real Madrid.”Real Madrid have three major stars who come under this bracket, with Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vasquez all out of contract next summer. Man City vs Arsenal WagsMeanwhile, Bayern Munich have six players affected by the issue, with Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Eric Dier, Sven Ulreich and Alphonso Davies all out of contract next summer. Davies is a long-term transfer target of Madrid, so may have his future acutely impacted.Football’s governing body have created a never-before-seen dilemma with competitive club football not usually played at that time of year, which is when contract decisions are made en masse.Numerous legal issues surrounding said contracts may also unfold, with factors such as agent fees, salary and insurance all surrounding free agents. Fifa are expected to announce the venues for the tournament in the coming weeks, with much of it set to be played in the eastern USA.The expected venues are the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey; Washington DC’s FedEx Field; Philadelphia’s Subaru Park; Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium; Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium and Seattle’s Lumen Field.READ MORE SUN STORIESFifa president Gianni Infantino also faces problems such as audience interest in the States and a potential player revolution before it comes about.Man City star Rodri has hinted it may be a possibility for players to ensure they are heard, after persistent complaints that they are not listened to over concerns of match load.Alphonso Davies could switch from Bayern Munich to Real Madrid in the middle of the tournamentCredit: Getty More

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      New Champions League format is tiring enough to follow let alone play in – it’s time to listen to the players

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      SUPPORTERS are bound to like more top-class football.But the players? Not so much.Karren Brady insists Uefa chiefs need to listen to the playersCredit: GettyThe new Champions League format has added even more fixturesCredit: EPAA number of them are so tired at the thought of an expanded football programme in Europe and to an extension of the Club World Cup next summer that they are threatening to strike.The people who pay to watch ask: Why?Premier League stars are millionaires and the demand for additional Continental matches means greater fame and bigger earnings.Players understand this reaction but as Aston Villa captain John McGinn pointed out after the win over Young Boys in a freshly minted Champions League: “At times, the mental side of things you need to switch off.Read More on Football“It is hard to churn them out when you are playing 70-plus games a season and then internationals. There’s not a lot of time to rest.”Uefa have added two extra fixtures — it could be four for some — to a competition which had been a straightforward formula of sorting out the better teams from leagues of four clubs.The new arrangement opens with a league of 36 clubs — a magical confusion of ties in four sections each between clubs of similar standards before knockout matches begin with play-offs just to get into the Last 16.I don’t know about player fatigue, my own mental side is pretty tired at that lot.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSYou might also wonder about the reason behind this restructuring.Cynics are even suggesting extra profits will appease the Super League rebel crew and circumnavigate any possible future revolution. Uefa and Fifa made the decision that the plot should be altered.Rodri sensationally claims players are close to STRIKING over schedule after Alisson says ‘our opinion does not matter’Next summer the refashioned Club World Cup will take its bow and among the clubs competing are Chelsea and Manchester City.City are going to have a busy summer. No wonder midfielder Rodri talked in strike terms, adding that 40 to 50 matches should be about maximum for a season.He  played 63 competitive games for club and country last season, and featured for 5,598 minutes between July 2023 and July 2024, including pre-season friendlies.If Rodri is feeling the effects, spare a thought for team-mate Phil Foden, who played 69 competitive games last term and 72 in all.Some will say City are victims of their own success but that success is becoming a punishment for the players.And it’s only going to get worse. It’s expected with Prem games, domestic cup competitions, Europe, internationals and the Club World Cup, City’s players could play up to 85 times this season.No wonder the players are concerned about their own well-being. No one else seems to be giving it a thought.Players need to be heardWhilst the men in suits and white trainers sit in Switzerland and extend the football calendar, no one even bothered to seek the opinion of the players.Liverpool No 1 Alisson said: “Nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion doesn’t matter.”That’s woeful, as it should matter the most.As the PFA pointed out: “Players and their unions have asked to be listened to. “When they are ignored, the natural consequence is that players will begin to consider all options.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Players are repeatedly saying  enough is enough and this must  act as a serious wake-up call to  authorities.”I don’t expect a strike but it is reasonable for the men in shorts to ask the men in suits to listen to them. More

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      I was a paramedic before falling into football while backpacking – now I’m about to face ex-Chelsea star Hernan Crespo

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      ALBERT RIERA left his job as a paramedic in Catalonia to go travelling for a year in New Zealand.While most twenty-somethings who leave Europe for travel end up sightseeing, maybe getting a bar job to pay the bills, Riera wound up winning the Champions League.Albert Riera left Spain for New Zealand in 2010Credit: GettyThe diminutive 5ft 8in midfielder, not to be confused with the ex-Manchester City and Liverpool star of the same name, had balanced his ambulance work with being a part-time footballer in Spain’s fourth tier.But after landing a one-year visa to head to New Zealand, he had no intention of playing football Down Under.After his dad pointed him in the direction of Auckland City’s Catalan coach Ramon Tribulietx, however, he ended up somewhat reluctantly sending over footage of his games.Tribulietx liked what he saw enough to offer him a trial, and Riera never looked back.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”I thought that would be it,” Riera, now 40, admitted while chatting to The National. “But after one week he said that he wanted to sign me for the rest of the season – two months.”My friends said, ‘We’ve come to travel, not to play football’. I said, ‘Look, in two months I’ll finish and then we’ll hire a van and travel’. In the meantime, we won the Oceanic Champions League and I travelled to New Caledonia, to Tahiti for free. Football was letting me travel.”At the end of the season, we still hired the van and goofed around New Zealand where you work for people in return for accommodation.”We were in a hippy community in the bush and we were gardening, cleaning, chopping wood, making buildings. We were also packing kiwi fruits – you soon get sick of them.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSRiera went on to earn a contract at Auckland CityCredit: Getty”We’d work night shifts for 10 hours per night just to save more money to travel again.”The idea was six months in New Zealand and six months travelling back to Spain via Asia – Tibet and places like that.”Watch bizarre moment cup clash is interrupted by wheelchair streaker leaving fans in hystericsHaving doubted that he’d even be good enough to make Auckland’s squad, Riera found himself being offered an opportunity to stay for the following season.And after thriving for part-timers Auckland, Riera was incredibly handed the opportunity to turn professional at the age of 29.The Spaniard turned professional with Wellington Phoenix aged 29Credit: GettyThe midfielder played against Juventus in the 2014 A-League All-Star GameCredit: AFP’I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO NOWHERE’After impressing in a pre-season friendly against Wellington Phoenix, Riera was offered a trial by the A-League outfit.His intention to move back to Spain was flipped on its head, when Scottish coach Ernie Merrick told him after just one day that he’d be offering him a contract.During his subsequent time in the A-League he was called up to their All-Star team, which enabled him the opportunity to play against Juventus – swapping shirts with legendary Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo.Who are these famous footballers?Following three years with Wellington, Riera decided that the brutal travel schedule had become too much for him – and opted to rejoin Auckland.After hanging up his boots in 2021, by this point a New Zealand citizen, Riera became manager of Auckland.Having won three OFC Champions Leagues as a player, he subsequently added two more as a coach.This week he has taken his side to Abu Dhabi, where they will face Asian champions Al-Ain in the first round of the Club World Cup on Sunday.The match will see him pit his managerial wits against former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, who has been coaching the Emirati side for just under a year.Last year they fell 3-0 at this stage to Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad, who boasted the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho among their ranks.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We’re realistic, but I’ll tell my players to compete as well as we can, Riera said of this year’s task. “I remember Crespo as a player, one of the great Argentina strikers. He was a busy No9 running behind all the time, full of energy. I’m happy for my team to be playing his.”On the dreams that could lie ahead, Riera said: “It’s way harder now, but we’re only three games away from playing Real Madrid to become world champions. You never know in football!”Riera will take on former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo this weekendCredit: Getty More

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      Man City and Chelsea stars to be asked about BOYCOTTING Club World Cup with players facing ‘tipping point’

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      MANCHESTER City and Chelsea stars will be asked if they want to BOYCOTT next summer’s Club World Cup unless Fifa strike a deal with players’ leaders.Less than 24 hours after world chiefs unveiled the new brand logo for the 32-team tournament due to be held in the USA next summer, the international players’ union Fifpro published statistics showing how top stars are ALREADY overplayed.Fifa’s Club World Cup will take place next summer in the USACredit: GettyBut Manchester City and Chelsea will potentially be given the opportunity to boycott the tournamentCredit: RexPFA supremo Maheta Molango will see if the clubs are serious about not playing in the tournamentCredit: PASunSport revealed the potential strike threat, which would be backed by the PFA, earlier this year, despite both Chelsea and City in line for huge shares of a potential £600m prize pot.And with legal action against Fifa having already been launched with the European courts, PFA boss Maheta Molango suggested he may have to go to the Stamford Bridge and Etihad dressing rooms to see if the players are serious about following through.Molango said: “This is not an attack on Fifa or the Club World Cup but we have reached a tipping point.“This will be the defining season for football. The calendar doesn’t make any sense.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS“We have been warning for a long time but this season we will have a very telling example of what is happening.“Our legal case questions if there were potential breaches of the right to enjoy a holiday and if Fifa is abusing a dominant position.“The players are conscious, across the pyramid, about the calendar.”When people try to portray this as just about the elite players it’s just not true. It is massive and goes beyond that.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWhat will happen to Man City?MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.Custis: Why is that?Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.“But if Fifa are not prepared to talk, we will go back to the players and say to them ‘we have done our bit; we are going to fight as hard as we can but ultimately this may require more from you’.Former West Ham and Newcastle defender David Terrier, vice-president of the French players’ union, added: “We brought the case to find out what the players want us to do. This is our work.Scott Carson’s glittering trophy cabinet“After that we will come back to them and say, ‘We’ve tried to fight and put on the table a solution for bargaining – but nobody wants to answer us.’“So then the possibility we have is to decide together that we won’t play – do you agree with that or not?“We are not the players. We support them, fight for them and explain the situation to them.”That is the last solution and not the one we want, but we do want to protect football.”The benefit of players having increased rest is no more clear and evident than with City hitman Erling Haaland, who has already hit two hat-tricks and scored seven goals so far this season.And Molango believes City’s striker, along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, have done more for the future of every player than any lawyer in a suit could.As he helped launch the international players’ union FifPro’s latest “Player Workload Monitoring Report”, Molango was clear in his thinking.Haaland’s brilliant start to the new campaign, along with the blistering form of Liverpool’s Egyptian king, is down to him not being as burned out as many of the Prem’s other biggest names.The subdued force who ended last season as a mere mortal has returned as football’s version of RoboCop, an ice-cold penalty box killer.Molango has not a shadow of a doubt as to why – his pre-season trips around Prem dressing rooms making it abundantly clear.The PFA boss said: “What I found astonishing this summer was the difference in terms of the feedback from the people who had a proper holiday and those who did not.We have reached a tipping pointMaheta Molango, CEO of the PFA“The body language and the words they chose in talking to us was so different.“In England, we have a very clear example, with Haaland.“It’s very nice to go to a dressing room and hear someone say to you, ‘I was missing being back.”I was missing being able to train again. And I’m pumped up, I’m motivated. I’m here’. And that was in the preseason.“Now you see the result. He is back to being the machine that we saw when he first joined us in England.“It’s probably something very similar to Mo Salah. He had a proper rest and you can see it’s the best version of Mo.“That’s what the fans want to see and what we as a union want to see as well.“But the people who have not had that rest, you can see they look shattered. They look tired before even starting the season, which for us is very worrying.”The “workload” on top players is the key finding of FifPro’s document.A survey of 1500 players across Europe, mainly in the leading divisions, found more than half are already playing 50-plus games in a season.Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City for Atletico Madrid in the summer’s biggest transfer, played in a staggering 75 games for club and country last term, with Phil Foden featuring 72 times, as did Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunes, while club-mate Cody Gakpo, Aston Villa’s John McGinn and Arsenal’s Kai Havertz walked onto the pitch at least 70 times each.And that was before this season’s expansion of the Champions League, potentially adding four more games, the Club World Cup that is due to feature up to seven games for City and Chelsea next summer and the 48-team 2026 World Cup.FifPro previously pointed out that Jude Bellingham has played twice as many senior minutes as David Beckham had at the same age, while Spurs defender Cristian Romero travelled 105,000 miles – two and a half times round the earth – even though Tottenham were not in Europe.Fifa are in FifPro’s sights, the Club World Cup seen as a competition too far – especially as the union accuses world chiefs of “refusing” to even discuss the issue.Legal action that has been launched in the European Court of Justice could end in the likes of Foden, Bellingham and Harry Kane being asked if they are prepared to take strike action rather than fly out to the USA next June.Erling Haaland has benefitted immensely from having the summer offCredit: GETTYAs has Liverpool forward Mohamed SalahCredit: REXFormer Arsenal and Liverpool performance coach Darren Burgess explained: “Young players are still growing into their mid-20s.“We know that putting them through this stress is placing them at increased risks but the levels of games have so startlingly increased over the past 20 years that we don’t know what this might do to our young stars.“That’s the scariest part – that there are no safeguards. The science tells us that they are still growing and putting them under more load generally leads to injury.”Molango, though, believes there is a wider problem that MUST be addressed.He added: “The domestic calendar hasn’t changed over the last 20 years. It is not the issue because it is the bread and butter for players.“A big proportion of their money comes from domestic TV contracts and it is important to protect the domestic pyramid.”That’s something they strongly feel about. We need to protect the players from themselves.”They love playing, they are committed to playing and they don’t want to lose their starting spot.“But the fans are paying 100 per cent prices and not seeing 100 per cent of the show.“We think there should be a maximum number of games, between 50 and 60 per season, which can vary depending on your age.“But players must not play more than five or six games back to back and they must be allowed a minimum three weeks of complete rest in the summer.“In the past, when we talked about this, it was us saying how it ‘feels’.READ MORE SUN STORIES“But this is science talking, a report from people – players and coaches – who have first-hand experience.“Players are at the ‘red limit’. If we want to protect the show, we must protect the players.” More

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      Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham head up list of six stars who could be forced to SNUB England duty as shock request made

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      ENGLAND stars face being forced to pick between club or country in the escalating row over Fifa’s controversial new £600million tournament.SunSport revealed last week the growing anger from global league bosses and player unions over next summer’s planned 32-team Club World Cup in the USA.Harry Kane may be forced to pick between England duty and playing in the Club World CupCredit: GettyIt comes with league chiefs wanting to bring it forward by two weeks to ensure a proper breakCredit: GettyAnd it is set to give the England manager a major headacheCredit: GettyNow top league chiefs want it brought forward two weeks in June to ensure a proper summer break — but that would clash with Fifa World Cup qualifiers.So England skipper Harry Kane and Three Lions team-mates Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Jack Grealish would have to choose who to play for.PFA chief Maheta Molango says Premier League players are ready to “strike” if they are forced to take part in the revamped club competition against their will.While lawyers representing the World Leagues Association and international players’ union FifPro are drafting legal proceedings to stop the event taking place as planned from June 15 to July 13.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe leagues have now contacted Fifa to suggest playing the four-week tournament — set to feature Manchester City, Chelsea, Kane’s Bayern Munich and Bellingham’s Real Madrid — from June 1 to June 29.That would allow players a proper summer break ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. One leagues source insisted: “This is the only acceptable solution.Who is in the Club World Cup?There are 32 teams who will qualify for the tournament from around the world, 12 of which will come from Europe.
      Four are selected via the Uefa pathway of winning the Champions League, while the other eight are picked via the ranking pathway.
      Here are the European teams who have qualified:

      Chelsea
      Man City
      Real Madrid
      Bayern Munich
      Paris Saint-Germain
      Inter Milan
      Porto
      Benfica
      Borussia Dortmund
      Juventus
      Atletico Madrid
      RB Salzburg

      “Now it’s up to Fifa to make a decision. If they do what we ask it will be for the players to decide who they play for.“We have told Fifa they have already taken the first two weeks of June for international football, so that should be part of the window for the Club World Cup, not in addition to it.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“It is a fact that the 2025-26 season is going to be even more condensed than normal.“Because it has to end earlier, in mid-May, to allow players preparation time for the biggest and longest World Cup ever.”Inside England’s stunning five-star Euro 2024 base with robot waiters that will cost £800,000Prem chief executive Richard Masters is already making contingency plans. They could see City and Chelsea MISS the start of the 2025-26 season if they go deep into the tournament, which launched as an eight-team winter event in 2000.FifPro and the PFA say that stars need a minimum three-week break written into all pro deals.Asked if strike action was a possibility, PFA boss Molango said: “We have reached that point.“I have gone to dressing rooms and players have told me, ‘I’m not having it, we may as well strike’.”Arsenal’s ex-head of elite performance Darren Burgess warned: “With the Club World Cup and internationals, Chelsea and City could play 86 games next season.”PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
      PFA chief Maheta Molango has warned Prem clubs are ready to ‘strike’ over the new tournamentCredit: PA More

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      Fifa threatened with legal action unless it reschedules club football’s biggest tournament worth £600million

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      FIFA has been threatened with legal action unless it reschedules next year’s Club World Cup.There are fears the expanded 32-team tournament — to be held in the USA —  poses a “significant injury risk” to players if it is staged in June and July 2025 as currently planned.Man City are the reigning Club World Cup holdersCredit: AFPChelsea and Manchester City are England’s representatives in the event, expected to be worth £600million between the competing clubs — which also include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and  Inter Milan.But now the international players’ union FifPro and the World Leagues Association, led by Prem chief executive Richard Masters, are demanding Fifa U-turns on its new club flagship tournament — or face being SUED.Ahead of next week’s Fifa Congress in Bangkok, a joint letter to Zurich chiefs from the two bodies claims Fifa’s new match calendar is “beyond saturation”, is causing “economic harm” to domestic leagues and poses a “significant injury risk” to players.The letter said: “Fifa has  consistently made decisions that benefit its own commercial interests, while negatively affecting national leagues and players.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“Over a significant period, Fifa has ignored repeated attempts by leagues and unions to engage on this issue.“Should Fifa refuse to commit to resolving the issues, we shall be  compelled to advise our members on the options available to them to  proactively safeguard their interests.“These options include legal action against Fifa, on which we have now commissioned external expert advice.“The calendar is beyond saturation, to the point national leagues are unable to properly organise their competitions, resulting in economic harm.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS“Players are pushed beyond their limits, with significant injury risks and impacts on their fundamental rights.”Man City are the current holders of the Club World Cup.Fifa President Infantino hails Scottish football thrillerPep Guardiola’s side beat Fluminense 4-0 in Jeddah last December.A Julian Alvarez double sandwiched a Nino own goal and Phil Foden strike. More