FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that discussions are underway to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup this summer, despite his club Al-Nassr not qualifying for the tournament.
The 40-year-old Portuguese forward, whose contract with Al-Nassr expires on June 30, could still feature in the 32-team tournament, which kicks off in the United States on June 14.
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Speaking during an interview with streamer IShowSpeed, Infantino addressed the prospect of seeing Lionel Messi in action for Inter Miami in the tournament’s opening game. He then teased a potential Ronaldo appearance, saying:
“And Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup. There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.”
Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in 2022 after parting ways with Manchester United and has since become a central figure in the growing football project in Saudi Arabia. However, Al-Nassr did not secure qualification for the revamped Club World Cup.
In light of the expanded format, FIFA has introduced a special transfer window from June 1 to June 10, allowing participating clubs to finalise short-term or permanent deals ahead of the tournament.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, won the UEFA Champions League four times with Real Madrid during his nine-year stint at the club before moving to Juventus in 2018.
Both Real Madrid and Juventus have qualified for this year’s Club World Cup, alongside other European giants such as Manchester City and Chelsea.
