Manuel Akanji Criticizes Fixture Congestion Ahead of Club World Cup

MIAMI, Florida — Manuel Akanji has publicly criticized his team’s grueling schedule ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup. The tournament is set to kick off next weekend, just three weeks after Manchester City‘s season ended.

City is grouped with Al-Ain and Wydad FC in Group G. If the team progresses deep into the tournament, players could be competing until mid-July, leaving them little time to recover before the start of the new season in August.

Akanji, currently in the United States on international duty with Switzerland, expressed his frustration about the fixture congestion. ‘I have been a strong critic of this competition for some time now. We players would love to have some holidays, and some time for our bodies to rest,’ he said.

His sentiments reflect the feelings of many teammates who are facing the prospect of jumping back on the pitch right after a demanding 57-game season. ‘My City teammates are not exactly overjoyed about the tournament either. But it’s now right in our faces, and there is nothing we can do about it,’ Akanji added.

City is navigating the aftermath of a trophy-less season under Pep Guardiola, making players less inclined to dive into more matches so soon. Akanji acknowledged that the team finished third in the Premier League and secured a spot in next season’s Champions League—though the season was deemed unsatisfactory by many players.

‘Set against the expectations we have, this hasn’t been a good season,’ Akanji said. ‘We finished third in the Premier League, three points behind Arsenal.’ Guardiola praised the squad for their resilience despite the disappointing results.

This year’s Club World Cup has heightened stakes, with a prize pool of £1 billion shared among 32 teams. The champion will win $40 million, making it more appealing for clubs to perform well. Traditionally held annually, it will now occur every four years, with the next tournament set for 2029.

Manchester City previously won the trophy in 2023 when it was still an annual competition.