Man City and Chelsea to learn their Club World Cup fate

Manchester City and Chelsea will learn their group-stage opponents in FIFA's controversial and contested Club World Cup on Thursday.

The new 32-team competition, to be hosted in the United States next summer, has been championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino but is the subject of two legal challenges in Europe, which both involve players’ union FIFPRO.

FIFA is accused of failing to consult adequately with player unions and leagues on the international fixture calendar, with Premier League chief executive Richard Masters describing the introduction of the Club World Cup as the "tipping point".

Unions’ concerns centre chiefly on player welfare, with players based in Europe who go deep in the tournament set to be afforded very little time to properly rest and recover before the 2025-26 domestic seasons begin.

Players themselves have spoken out, with City midfielder Rodri warning stars were "close" to considering strike action over the congested calendar, with UEFA’s club competitions now also taking up more space.

Leagues fear the Club World Cup will have a negative impact on their competitions, with concerns over whether Manchester City and Chelsea can possibly be at full strength and fitness when the 2025-26 campaign starts on 17 August.

The tournament has faced other issues too. As of 1000GMT Wednesday, no broadcast partners had been confirmed for the tournament, with European club sources having previously expressed frustration and concern at the process FIFA had followed to attract television networks.

FIFA appears to have ruled out using its own reserves to bankroll the event, so the hope will be that lucrative broadcast deals can still be agreed. Football’s global governing body has brought big sponsors on board