‘Club World Cup start of new season for Man City’

According to Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, the Club World Cup represents “the beginning of the new season” and not a continuation of the previous season.

After a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, City failed to win a significant trophy for the first time in eight years and finished third in the Premier League.

They played their final game of the season at Fulham on Sunday, but they’re now back in action 24 days later at the expanded 32-team Fifa tournament, which kicks off on June 14 in the United States.

In a club interview with the organization, Khaldoon stated, “The team will take the rest that they will take right away, then they will begin pre-season and then immediately into the Club World Cup.”

“We’re thrilled to join them as champions.” I really like the format, in fact.

The new season is just beginning, not just going on like it was last year.

Khaldoon claimed that City want to have their “new squad ready” for the start of the tournament.

Tijjani Reijnders, a midfielder for AC Milan, has been closely linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, while City are interested in Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

This summer, Manchester City and Chelsea will have one transfer window open before the Club World Cup kicks off from June 1 through June 10.

Guardiola, the city manager, said the players must be in charge of any changes to football’s growing fixture demands.

Following the filing of a legal claim against the world governing body, the players’ union Fifpro and Fifa met in January to discuss the packed calendar.

In the group stages of the redesigned Club World Cup, City will face Moroccan side Wydad AC on June 18 (2:00 BST), Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates on June 23 (02:00), and then Juventus on June 26 (20:00).

The teams that advance to the final, which will take place on July 13th, will play seven games if the top two of each of the eight groups advance to the knockout stages.

On August 13th, the Premier League season begins.

Khaldoon was in no doubt that other teams would be taking it seriously because players didn’t get enough rest, but questions have been raised about that.

He said, “This is a very, very serious competition.” The entire world will be watching this over the summer.

“We’re going to give it our best shot,” says the president of the world, “and I can assure you that there will be a lot of top teams in the world competing in this tournament.”

Between September and December, an independent commission held the hearing.

The commission has unconstrained powers, including points deductions and relegation, if City, who firmly denies the charges, is found guilty.

We still don’t have a ruling, Khaldoon continued. I’ll be able to comment on a ruling as soon as possible.