The Premier League has announced an unprecedented split transfer window for the summer of 2025 to accommodate Manchester City and Chelsea's participation in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup. The window will operate in two phases, initially opening from June 1-10 before closing for five days and then reopening from June 16 until September 1.
This unique arrangement comes as FIFA prepares to launch its first expanded Club World Cup featuring 32 teams in the United States, beginning June 15. The tournament will adopt the format used in recent World Cups, with Manchester City and Chelsea representing the Premier League among global football powerhouses including Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.
"The Premier League can only have 12 weeks of a summer window - hence the five-day break in order to run it until September 1," the league explained in its announcement. This unusual schedule stems from FIFA regulations that permit only 16 weeks of transfer activity per calendar year, with European leagues traditionally allocating four weeks to the winter window.
In October, FIFA approved a special registration window from June 1-10 specifically for Club World Cup participants, allowing them to register new players before the tournament begins. Additionally, FIFA established a mid-tournament registration period from June 27 to July 3 for clubs to add players for the knockout stages.
The Premier League's decision to adopt this same window structure ensures Manchester City and Chelsea don't gain an unfair advantage over the other 18 top-flight clubs. However, the league also wanted to align its closing date with other major European competitions, which preferred an end-of-August deadline. This necessitated the split window approach.
The new transfer timeline creates interesting scenarios for international players potentially moving to Club World Cup participants. For example, Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose Liverpool contract expires June 30, is rumored to be joining Real Madrid. This raises questions about whether Real Madrid would negotiate an early release fee with Liverpool or wait until his contract expires to add him for the knockout stages.
Similarly, Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City contract ends June 30. As it stands, he could participate in the group stages but wouldn't be eligible for the knockout rounds unless he signs an extension. FIFA has adjusted its registration rules to allow clubs to sign players specifically for the tournament's duration, though sources suggest neither Manchester City nor Chelsea are likely to pursue this option.
In other Premier League news, semi-automated offside technology might be introduced as early as April following trials in FA Cup matches. The system, which aims to make tight offside decisions easier for officials through automation, has faced implementation delays due to technical issues. Bespoke cameras have already been installed at all 20 Premier League grounds in preparation for the rollout.
The FA Cup trials experienced some challenges, including a record eight-minute VAR stoppage during Bournemouth's victory over Wolves when officials couldn't rely on the new technology due to a congested penalty area. If this weekend's quarter-final ties at Premier League grounds proceed without issues, the technology could be implemented league-wide next week.
