Club World Cup: Ancelotti Misspeaks, Real Madrid Clarifies

Real Madrid will participate in the Club World Cup, contrary to coach Carlo Ancelotti’s previous announcement.

As the reigning Champions League winners, Real Madrid is set to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled for the summer of 2025. This tournament will last a month and feature 31 other teams, including PSG. However, on Monday morning, Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, caused a stir by stating that the club would not participate.

« The new Club World Cup? Real Madrid, like other clubs, will decline the invitation. FIFA forgets that clubs and players won’t participate in this tournament. A single match for Real Madrid is worth 20 million euros, and FIFA wants to give us this amount for the entire competition? Negative. Like other clubs, we will refuse the invitation, » Ancelotti told Il Giornale.

Ancelotti Forced to Retract His Statement

These comments were not endorsed by Real Madrid. The club quickly issued a statement contradicting their coach. « Real Madrid announces that at no time has its participation in the new Club World Cup organized by FIFA for the next 2024-2025 season been in question. Therefore, our club will participate, as planned, in this official competition, which we approach with pride and the greatest enthusiasm to once again make our millions of fans around the world dream with a new title, » read the official statement.

Carlo Ancelotti subsequently clarified his remarks. « In my interview with Il Giornale, my comments on the FIFA Club World Cup were not interpreted as I intended. Nothing could be further from my interests than rejecting the opportunity to play in a tournament that I consider a great chance to continue fighting for major titles with Real Madrid, » Ancelotti posted on his X account.