Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed concern over the toll the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup could take on his squad, admitting he’s unsure whether the tournament will derail their upcoming Premier League campaign.
City are currently participating in the newly revamped 32-team Club World Cup in the United States, having begun their campaign on June 18 in Philadelphia, less than a month after wrapping up the 2024/25 Premier League season on May 25.
Speaking ahead of City’s last-16 clash with Al Hilal, Guardiola said the physical and mental demands of the summer competition could have lasting consequences.
“I may say, so listen, we are a disaster. We are exhausted. The World Cup destroyed us,” Guardiola told reporters. “I don’t know, but it’s the first time in our life that this has happened. So we’ll see.”
His comments echo growing concerns among top managers about fixture congestion and player fatigue. England boss Thomas Tuchel has already warned that Chelsea and Manchester City’s involvement in the Club World Cup could hand domestic rivals like Liverpool and Arsenal a significant edge in the early stages of the 2025/26 Premier League title race.
Guardiola also referenced previous debates with former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who had called FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup “football’s worst idea.” The two managers, despite their fierce on-field rivalry, often aligned in UEFA meetings over player welfare and calendar reform.
“Jürgen and I fought together many, many times… especially in UEFA meetings or when we discussed the Premier League calendar,” Guardiola said. “It was always about how to improve quality and give managers and players proper rest.”
If Manchester City progress to the Club World Cup final on July 13, they’ll have just over a month to recover and prepare before launching their Premier League campaign on August 16 with a tough away fixture against Wolves at Molineux.
As the reigning European champions look to reclaim the Premier League crown they lost to Liverpool last season, Guardiola now faces the challenge of balancing international glory with domestic ambitions, all while navigating one of the most demanding schedules in football history.
