Real Madrid confirms Club World Cup position following Carlo Ancelotti comments.

Real Madrid have formally confirmed their participation in FIFA's expanded Club World Cup, despite manager Carlo Ancelotti appearing to rule it out.

The new competition will take place in June and July of next year, including 32 clubs from around the world rather than the normal seven major league champions. All but three of those 32 spots have been filled, with Real Madrid securing a spot as the defending Champions League champion.

According to Relevo, Ancelotti told Il Giornale that "Fifa can forget" about Los Blancos participating in the event and that the team will decline the offer.

Following the manager's comments, Madrid issued a statement on their official website clarifying their position. It reads:

"Real Madrid CF states that its participation in the new Club World Cup, which Fifa will organize in the future 2024-2025 season, has never been called into question.

"Therefore, our club will compete, as planned, in this official competition that we face with pride and with the utmost enthusiasm to make our millions of fans around the world dream again with a new title."

Ancelotti took to social media on Monday to clarify his own remarks, posting on his official X account: "In my interview with Il Giornale, my comments about the FIFA Club World Cup were not interpreted as I intended.

"Nothing could be further from my interest than to reject the possibility of playing in a tournament that I consider could be a great opportunity to continue fighting for big titles with Real Madrid."

The expansion of the Club World Cup has sparked criticism from a number of football organisations, including Fifpro and the World Leagues Association, who have called for the tournament to be rescheduled, citing economic harm to leagues and a negative impact on player welfare as reasons for opposing its continuation.

Higher-ups in the Premier League and La Liga have also expressed concerns, threatening to boycott the competition, but Fifa has repeatedly rejected the notion of any problems and hopes to build a club competition that can rival the existing Champions League in terms of viewership and economic prosperity.

The new structure will include 12 Uefa nations, six Conmebol sides, four each from Concacaf, CAF, and the AFC, one from the Oceania Football Confederation, and one from the host nation.

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