For the club World Cup, FIFA has set up an additional transfer window so that the clubs can react to departures before the tournament. One question now is: does Cristiano Ronaldo use the opportunity to play at the tournament?
A transfer window begins from Sunday next week that has not yet existed. It applies ten days and may only be used in the countries from which participating clubs of the club World Cup come from. The background: The World Cup is planned from June 14th (June 15th) until July 13th. However, expiring player contracts usually end on June 30th, in the middle of the tournament. In order for clubs to react to possible departures before the tournament, FIFA enabled the ten -day window.
From a commercial point of view, one of the most prominent transfers could even be possible for the tournament: While Lionel Messi and his club Inter Miami from the USA is at the club World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo with Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia has not made it. Is he now changing to a club that is qualified?
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) 2013 with Lionel Messi
Messi from FIFA to the tournament – Ronaldo would need a transfer
For the FIFA, which only struggled to transfer the tournament’s transfer rights and has to struggle with a slow ticket sales for the club World Cup, the change from Ronaldo to one of the participating clubs would be a thrust in the marketing.
Lionel Messi with Inter Miami already received a kind of wild card from FIFA. In the past, the national champion of the host country was always qualified at the club World Cup, the rules expressly left open how this place is distributed at the new club World Cup.
Then In October 2024, Inter Miami was awarded the “Supporters’ Shield” as the best team of the regular season of the MLS and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Inter Miami stadium came to the microphone to announce that Inter Miami was there – without the public that this place was allocated. Ronaldo did not get this luxury and would need another back door to the tournament through the transfer market. But where could he play?
Ronaldo to Casablanca? The club has a transfer lock
On Wednesday, the Spanish sports daily “Marca” put a rumor into the world: Ronaldo moves to the Wydad Athletic Club in Casablanca in Morocco? Wydad is qualified for the club World Cup because the association won the African Champions League in 2022.
In reality, what may be interesting speculation can currently be implemented despite all the transfer windows: the FIFA disciplinary chamber has imposed a transfer lock against Wydad, which, according to the FIFA database, also applies. If the lock is not lifted at short notice, this change is not possible at all. Transfer locks are usually imposed on outstanding salary or transfer payments or contractual violations.
The Stade Mohammed V with fans of the Wydad AC
Ronaldo to Brazil? The direct duel with Messi would be possible
However, “Marca” spread another rumor: An unnoted club from Brazil, who is part of the tournament, is said to have already approached Ronaldo. Four clubs are qualified from Brazil with Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo and Palmeiras. If it became Palmeiras, Ronaldo would even play in a group with Messi and Inter Miami.
Ronaldo against Messi, Messi against Ronaldo – another who perhaps the last episode in the dualism of the superstars, who shaped European club football for years, would be a history of the tournament. The game would take place on June 23 in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami
Ronaldo to Al-Hilal? A Four-week transfer is allowed
It has been clear for months that the short transfer window is coming and since then there has been an obvious assumption: Ronaldo is moving to Al-Hilal for four weeks as a loan? The club is the only one from Saudi Arabia for the club World Cup and, like Ronaldo’s current club, is controlled by the Saudi Arabian fund. One of Al-Hilal’s group opponents is Ronaldo’s ex-club Real Madrid.
The new transfer window would even make a short -term change possible only for the tournament in theory. The regular transfer windows, which usually start in Europe on July 1, remain unaffected by the new approach. There would be another change for Ronaldo or a return to Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo played a moderate season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr and missed the Asian Champions League 2025/26. Ronaldo said goodbye to his own fans in the last home game. Actually, his contract runs there until 2026, but the scenes quickly followed speculation about a permanent departure.