Why a New Transfer Window Has Been Created to Support 2025 Club World Cup | OneFootball

Transfer Windows Reshaped as FIFA Prepares for Club World Cup Shift

Planning for a Summer Like No Other

Next summer’s football calendar is already shaping up to be unlike any other. As FIFA’s reimagined Club World Cup looms into view, new regulations around transfer windows and player registrations are being introduced — and the impact will be felt far beyond the tournament’s direct participants.

As The Athletic reports, players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kevin De Bruyne, both out of contract at the end of June, find themselves at the heart of an administrative evolution. FIFA’s rulebook has been rewritten — pragmatically, perhaps controversially — to accommodate the requirements of a new era.

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Exceptional Window for Exceptional Circumstances

To facilitate smooth squad assembly, FIFA has introduced an additional registration period from June 1–10, 2025. This is a deviation from the norm, where member associations manage two annual windows — a summer and a mid-season slot. FIFA’s ruling states: “Member associations of clubs participating in the competition shall have the possibility to establish an exceptional additional registration period from June 1-10, 2025.”

The caveat is that this window is not mandatory, and it does count against the global limit of 16 weeks of permitted transfer activity per year. European nations, aiming to keep their summer window open until September 1, are expected to close business briefly before reopening on June 16.

In a significant move toward fairness, this extra window is available to all clubs, not just those competing in the Club World Cup.

Mid-Tournament Contract Gaps Addressed

Another pressing issue addressed by FIFA concerns players whose contracts expire mid-tournament — a logistical headache that could have derailed plans for clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester City.

A mid-tournament registration window, running from June 27 to July 3, will allow teams to replace expiring players or finalise delayed arrivals. For example, if Madrid wish to deploy Alexander-Arnold for the entirety of the competition, they must negotiate a nominal early-release fee with Liverpool. Failing that, they can still register him for the knockout rounds, post-contract.

For Kevin De Bruyne, the path is more complex. Should he secure a new club for July but still want to play for City, his new employer must approve a short-term extension.

De Bruyne offered a candid take: “I think in a way I have to take care of myself because if I get injured in the Club World Cup, what am I going to do? Nobody’s going to take care of me at that point.”

His caution is understandable. Injury risks during a technically optional tournament, at the cusp of career transitions, could derail any future plans.

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FIFA Opens Tactical Avenues

Further regulation tweaks allow squads to include up to 37 players by mid-tournament, up from the original 35. Clubs may make up to six changes overall and must notify FIFA of player additions at least 48 hours before kick-off.

In another break from convention, players may now appear for a third club in a single season — if that club is part of the Club World Cup.

There’s also leniency in international call-ups. While teams must release players for the June 2–10 international window, Club World Cup participation exempts them from obligations beyond that. Only nations involved in the Concacaf Gold Cup, running concurrently, may face direct scheduling clashes.

Goalkeeper-specific provisions allow for injury replacements at any point, provided appropriate medical documentation is submitted.

As FIFA readies its most ambitious club tournament to date, the recalibration of its regulatory framework signals an intent to evolve. Some will see this as progress, others as an overreach. But either way, the landscape of transfer windows and contract norms is now being shaped by Club World Cup imperatives.