GOAL goes over everything fans need to know about the unique transfer window opening from June 1-10 ahead of the Club World Cup

FIFA has opened a special transfer window from June 1-10, allowing teams to make roster additions ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup. It's an unprecedented move to allow players to swap clubs this early in the offseason. Still, with the marquee event beginning in just over two weeks on June 14, they opted to open the window so teams could bolster their core ahead of the competition.

Likewise, U.S. Soccer has reportedly sanctioned a window to run during the same timeline, but has limited it to the MLS teams competing in the tournament – Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders, and potentially, LAFC. The face Liga MX side Club America Saturday evening in a Club World Cup playoff game, with the winner clinching a berth in the competition.

FIFA and U.S. Soccer have introduced new rules and amended existing ones ahead of this summer’s competition, aimed at facilitating player movement. As a result, clubs participating in the tournament have additional flexibility in the transfer window – though some of the changes may not be widely known or understood by fans.

Some players have an opportunity to sign a short-term contract to compete, strictly in the competition, before entering free agency this summer. Others are completing pre-agreed transfers, while some are swapping new clubs entirely on multi-year deals. Then, there's a unique case like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid, as have now paid the $11.3 million(€10 million) to secure his services ahead of the competition despite his contract ending on June 30.

GOAL goes over and explains everything you need to know about the Club World Cup transfer window.

Getty Images SportWhy does the transfer window exist?

With the Club World Cup expanding to a brand-new 32-team format, FIFA wants to showcase the event to viewers around the world as a marquee competition one year out from the 2026 World Cup. In normal circumstances, the governing body would open two transfer windows throughout a calendar year, one in the winter and one in the summer, but with the redesign of the tournament, FIFA wanted to ensure teams could be at their best for the competition, thus opening this window.

“Member associations of clubs participating in the competition shall have the possibility to establish an exceptional additional registration period from June 1-10, 2025. For the avoidance of doubt, no member association is obliged to establish such an exceptional additional registration period," FIFA said in its original statement.

FIFA rules state that teams are only allotted 16 weeks of transfer business per year, which is typically four in January and 12 in the summer. To ensure that the summer window stays open until Sept. 1 as planned, the window will be closed June 11-16, reopening from thereonward.

To prevent any unfair advantages, the June window ahead of the tournament is open to all European clubs, not just those participating in the Club World Cup.

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

In the U.S., however, the federation has reportedly sanctioned a window for the teams competing in the tournament to engage in transfer business as well. It will not be open to the entire league, though, as the Canadian federation would not sanction the window with no teams competing, and MLS did not want to exclude the three franchises based in Canada from transfer business. As a result, it's only open for the teams competing.

Liga MX clubs participating in the Club World Cup window are also allowed to participate in transfers.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat happens if a players contract expires during the competition?

European contracts typically run from July 1 through June 30, which presents an issue for players out of contract this summer who are set to compete for a team in the Club World Cup.

To solve the issue, FIFA added a mid-tournament registration window from June 27-July 3 that allows clubs to replace those out-of-contract players with individuals who joined them at the end of their contracts, or were brought in from other clubs near the end of the additional transfer window. If a club wanted to add a player whose contract was expiring mid-tournament ahead of the competition, a pre-agreement would need to be made – with Real Madrid and Alexander Arnold being the perfect example.

The Spanish club has brought him in ahead of the competition by paying Liverpool a fee, despite his contract running out mid-tournament.

What additional transfer rule changes are there?

+ The Club World Cup does not follow FIFA rules that state a player can only represent two clubs during a season, so if a player is signed by a third different team for the competition, they will be able to compete as the tournament is exempt from that regulation.

+ Regulations also state that players are exempt from representing their national teams during the competition, but note that teams must release players for the FIFA international window that runs from June 2-10, right before the start of the tournament. During the competition itself, the only international tournament that directly conflicts with it is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, with the 16 nations from the region theoretically being the only countries affected by the rule. Notably, for the U.S. men's national team, that includes Juventus duo Tim Weah and Weston McKennie, and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna.

+ Lastly, clubs were asked to submit a 50-man provisional roster for the tournament that will be shaved down to 35 by the start of the competition.

Getty Images SportWhat else do you need to know about the Club World Cup?

Key Dates:

The opening match of the tournament sees Al Ahly take on Inter Miami, and will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday, June 14.

The final of the competition is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 13.

How to watch:

FIFA announced a broadcast deal with DAZN on Dec. 4, 2024, and matches will be streamed around the world on the platform, available for free.

Who is playing?

Thirty-two teams from around the world will be competing in the competition, with the Group stage outlined here.

What else?

Any other questions fans may have, ranging from qualification to prize money to tickets, can be found inGOAL's ultimate Club World Cup guide.