Cristiano Ronaldo could soon be taking the field FIFA’s inaugural Club World Cup. The opportunity to energize the space. The in-person event is planned for the U.S. this June. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already admitted that conversations are taking place regarding Ronaldo joining the squad for the tournament. This is especially notable as his current club, Al Nassr, could not qualify for the tournament.
Infantino disclosed that there are already talks with a few clubs who want to bring Ronaldo’s talents to the blue-ribbon tournament. “Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup,” Infantino stated, hinting at the possibility of a transfer. He added, “There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup, who knows? Still a few weeks’ time, will be fun.”
The expanded Club World Cup will feature 32 teams. While Al Nassr failed to qualify, Infantino suggested that Ronaldo could still be a player for one of the clubs taking part in the competition. Speculative reports have suggested that he will join Al Hilal, another Saudi club that managed to get in the tourney. More recently, though, Brazilian club Palmeiras and Moroccan club Wydad have both been touted as possible destinations for the 40-year-old superstar.
Nearby Wydad of Morocco is at present under a FIFA-imposed embargo on registering new signings. We have now had clarification from the sport’s governing body that all clubs going into the tournament should be allowed to bring in emergency signings. The window for these moves will be open from June 1 through June 10. It will reopen from June 27 to July 3, under special regulations permitted by FIFA last October.
A potential transfer for Ronaldo could involve a short-term deal, possibly in the form of a loan, allowing him to compete at a high level once again. He will go up against rival Lionel Messi on the pitch for the first time since the 2022 World Cup. That promising prospect is the source of so much optimism surrounding these conversations.
