FIFA unveils brand new Club World Cup trophy
Global football’s governing body FIFA have revealed a brand new trophy to accompany the relaunch of the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025. Manchester City will be present at the tournament hosted by the United States next summer following their success in the UEFA Champions League at the tail-end of their historic 2022/23 Treble-winning season. After the single-goal triumph over Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Manchester City would also qualify for the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, in which the club would emerge victorious on both occasions. Success in Saudi Arabia via wins over Urawa Red Diamonds and Fluminense would also mean that Manchester City would retain their status as World Champions for a period of two years, with FIFA opting to put the 2024 edition of the tournament on hold ahead of the expanded edition. 2025 will see the return of the FIFA Club World Cup in a new and expanded format, as a total of 32 teams will take to the stage across multiple stadiums in the United States, in what will also act as a warm-up for the nation ahead of co-hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026. And alongside the arrival of a revamped tournament comes a revamped trophy, as unveiled by FIFA this week which implements a 24-carat gold-plated finish and multiple laser-engraved inscriptions all over. Those inscriptions also tell the story of football’s history, 13 languages, Braille and a world map, highlighting the spread and inclusivity of the global game, with the unveiling in anticipation of the Club World Cup draw taking place on Thursday 5 December. Manchester City’s involvement at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup opens up the prospect of the club partaking in around 70 matches across competitions this season, in what is becoming an increasingly concerning picture for global football athletes through such demands. Defensive midfield superstar and recently-crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri hinted at players from across the game taking matters into their own hands amid the growing fixture schedule, suggesting that strike action may be the only route to take in order for their voices to be heard. This week has seen Rodri’s club teammate Bernardo Silva also weigh in on the matter, as he said, “This break has been very beneficial for us. Let’s not deny it: it was a difficult time for our team.” He continued, “It had never happened to me in my career. At City, I can’t even remember losing two games in a row. “It’s [the break] done us good, because there are players who will be back from injury, and we have fresh heads to get back to our maximum level at this stage of the season.”