FILE - Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo gestures to the crowd after winning the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Denmark, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addresses the FIFA 75th Congress at the Conmebol Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Calistro)
FILE - Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo gestures to the crowd after winning the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Denmark, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)
GENEVA (AP) 鈥 FIFA president Gianni Infantino says Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup because of a unique transfer window.
Ronaldo鈥檚 Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr did not qualify for the tournament, but Infantino suggested that the Portugal star could switch to one of the 32 teams playing in the competition in the United States starting next month.
鈥淐ristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup,鈥 Infantino told online streamer IShowSpeed, whose YouTube channel has more than 39 million subscribers. 鈥淭here are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup, who knows. Still a few weeks time, will be fun.鈥
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FIFA confirmed Wednesday that last-minute transfer signings are open to all teams going to tournament, which fueled more speculation that one of them will try to sign the 40-year-old Ronaldo on a short-term deal, potentially a loan.
Such a move would be unprecedented in modern soccer though could appeal to FIFA by boosting the profile and ticket sales of an inaugural tournament being played in 11 U.S. cities.
A transfer for Ronaldo also would reunite him and Lionel Messi in the same competition for the first time since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Last October, to enter the tournament in the slot that was expected to be reserved for the host nation鈥檚 champion. Inter Miami was eliminated in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Speculative reports have linked Ronaldo to the one Saudi club that qualified, Al Hilal, the Brazilian club Palmeiras and , even though that club is currently banned by FIFA from registering new signings.
Transfers can be made from June 1-10 and again June 27-July 3 according to exceptional rules
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鈥淭he objective is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players鈥 participation,鈥 FIFA said in Wednesday鈥檚 statement.
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