The revamped 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams from around the world, is set to begin on June 14 — but notably without soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo. With Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr failing to qualify for the upcoming edition, reports suggest Ronaldo could make a last-ditch move to participate in the global tournament.
Al Nassr missed the opportunity to qualify after being eliminated by Al Ain in the quarterfinals of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League. Ironically, the club from the United Arab Emirates secured a ticket to the Club World Cup, leaving Ronaldo without a path to the competition via his current team.
In recent weeks, even the possibility of Ronaldo joining longtime rival Lionel Messi at Inter Miami was rumored. However, journalist Fabrizio Romano firmly shut down the speculation:
“Reports on Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi to play together at Inter Miami for FIFA Club World Cup are 100% fake and wide of the mark. No contacts, negotiations, talks or even chances as all parties involved play down these reports from the UK,” wrote the journalist.
Still, a new scenario may be emerging. Ronaldo’s lucrative contract with Al Nassr expires in June 2025, and no renewal has been reported so far. Moreover, FIFA’s authorization of an exceptional transfer window from June 1 to June 10 has fueled expectations that the Portuguese forward could still find a way into the tournament.
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Cristiano Ronaldo and a possible one-month Premier League return
According to SportBible‘s Nasir Jabbar, Cristiano Ronaldo could pursue an unprecedented short-term move — a one-month contract — to participate in the Club World Cup. With Al Nassr’s season ending on May 26, Ronaldo would be free to negotiate a special arrangement that would allow him to play in the tournament before returning to Saudi Arabia.
Among the most plausible destinations are Premier League sides Manchester City and Chelsea — both qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup — and eligible under a special registration rule introduced for the summer window.
“Premier League clubs have today agreed the dates for the Summer 2025 Transfer Window. The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the FIFA Club World Cup. It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September,” read a statement released by the Premier League.
Time is ticking for Ronaldo to make a decision. Weeks have passed without any update on his potential contract renewal with Al Nassr, leaving the door open — however unlikely it may seem — for one of the most surprising moves of his career.
