Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has criticised FIFA for failing to consult with the league before pressing ahead with its expanded Club World Cup plans.
This summer, both Manchester City and Chelsea travelled to the United States to compete in the newly enlarged competition, which ran from June 13 to July 14.
Chelsea ultimately lifted the trophy, but the tournament’s additional fixtures have sparked debate over player welfare and the strain on an already packed football calendar.
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Masters expressed frustration that, unlike Uefa - which sought input from the Premier League during Champions League reform talks - Fifa did not involve them in shaping the Club World Cup’s format or schedule.
Richard Masters has not been happy with the the way Fifa have handled the Club World Cup
|PA
“You could feel the Premier League’s and the European leagues' voices in the final solutions that were put together,” Masters said at a season launch briefing.
“That's not been the case with the Club World Cup. The leagues and the players have not been consulted at all on the timing and scheduling of the competition and I think whatever iteration of it may come next, we do need to be consulted on that.
“Obviously, it does have an impact on the scheduling of the Premier League season, that much is clear. We're asking for a seat at the table, proper discussion for the leagues.”
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He also questioned why Fifa is moving further into club football territory, warning of potential consequences for players.
He said: “I don't ever want there to be a situation where players are ending up or manage having to make up choices about which competitions people play in because I think that would be the wrong direction to take the game.
Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 in the final to lift the Club World Cup earlier this summer
| Getty“Obviously Fifa was put on earth really to regulate the global game and to run international football and the Club World Cup is a move into club football.
”The Premier League boss was also firm in rejecting the idea of staging a league fixture overseas — an idea that continues to resurface, particularly as 11 top-flight clubs now have American owners.
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“As you know, I'm very clear about it, the Premier League doesn't have plans to play matches abroad. We're not discussing it around our table," he continued.
“The overall objective of playing matches abroad is to grow that league internationally. And in the last 10 years, the Premier League has grown internationally. We're now a genuinely global league.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has come under fire for multiple aspects of the Club World Cup
| PA“All of the data points suggest the Premier League is growing internationally without the need to play matches abroad.”
When asked whether he would consider stepping down if the league loses its legal case against Manchester City over alleged breaches of financial regulations, Masters refused to engage with the hypothetical.
“You're asking me to speculate on the outcome of the case,” he said. “I'm not going to do it. That's all I can say.”