Next summer’s transfer window may open early as FIFA bids to end contracts issue

The Football Association will be given the option to open next summer’s transfer window early as FIFA moves to guard against issues with out-of-contract players affecting the Club World Cup.

FIFA’s tournament in the United States cuts across the dates where standard contracts expire and start – June 30 and July 1 respectively.

Manchester City qualified for the Club World Cup via their 2023 Champions League success but Kevin De Bruyne would, as things stand, be out of contract midway through the tournament.

FIFA has offered the national associations of competing clubs the opportunity to open an exceptional registration window between June 1 and 10, ahead of the tournament getting under way on June 15 in order to sign new players and extend the contracts of existing ones beyond June 30.

All clubs in that country would be able to register players in the window if it was opened, not just those competing in the Club World Cup.

Chelsea are England’s other representative by virtue of their 2021 Champions League win.

The PA news agency understands the tournament regulations would also prevent any player switching between clubs mid-competition. If the tournament had happened this summer, for instance, Kylian Mbappe would have started it registered to Paris St Germain and ended it registered to Real Madrid.

Where a player is contracted to a club until June 30 but not beyond that point, FIFA will also give competing clubs the opportunity to replace players during a window between June 27 and July 3. These could be players who were already registered to the club prior to the tournament but not originally included, or a new signing.

FIFA said the rules, approved by its Council on Thursday, “seek to address technicalities and equalise inconsistencies created by differences in registration periods and domestic-season timings between participating clubs to the greatest extent possible, while affording flexibility to the FIFA member associations in question”.

The full detail of the rules is expected to be set out on Friday.

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.”

The expanded Club World Cup has endured a difficult start. Stadia for the event were only confirmed last weekend and as yet no television rights sales have been announced, with European clubs understood to be becoming increasingly frustrated at the delays.

The competition has also been the catalyst for legal challenges against FIFA from domestic leagues and unions. FIFA stands accused of failing to properly consult them over the international calendar, an accusation FIFA firmly rejects.