Club World Cup transfer window rules: What are the conditions for registering new players?

Club World Cup teams can register new players for the knockout stage until 3 July, but restrictions apply regarding national transfer windows and eligibility.

Clubs still competing in the Club World Cup will be allowed to sign and register new players for the latter stages of the tournament. On Friday (27 June), FIFA confirmed that the 16 qualified teams can add new names to their squads in the race for the title. They have until 3 July to finalise these additions.

Initially, FIFA had opened an additional transfer window exclusively for teams participating in the competition, which ran until 10 June. However, as the tournament progressed, the governing body granted further opportunities for clubs to strengthen their squads.

Transfer window reopens with restrictions

While FIFA has given clubs the green light to register new players for the knockout rounds, several restrictions apply. Teams can add players to their existing 35-man squad list without penalty. They are also permitted to replace up to six players, particularly those whose contracts expire on 30 June.

Additionally, any new player must be registered at least 48 hours before the team’s round of 16 fixture and must already be registered with a national league. This means the domestic transfer window must be open in the country where the club is based.

For example, Brazilian clubs are unable to make new signings as the CBF transfer window does not open until 10 July. However, in France, where the transfer window opened on 16 June, Paris Saint-Germain can complete signings and register new players, such as Bournemouth’s Ilya Zabarnyi, who is expected to join the French champions.

Furthermore, players cannot be registered for the competition if they have already been registered by another participating team, even if they have not featured. One example is Alvaro Carreras, who is on the verge of joining Real Madrid but will be ineligible for the competition after being listed by Benfica.

Club World Cup round of 16 qualified teams:

• Palmeiras

• Botafogo

• Flamengo

• Fluminense

• Real Madrid

• Manchester City

• Al Hilal

• Benfica

• Bayern Munich

• Chelsea

• PSG

• Inter Miami

• Inter Milan

• Juventus

• Borussia Dortmund

• Monterrey

Round of 16: Locked in. ?#FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/p0Lf6XIH6r

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 27, 2025

 

This article was originally published on Trivela.