A scheduling conflict for the upcoming Club World Cup has ignited a dispute between the Tunisian Football Federation and Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Tunisia’s league champion, over conflicting dates for the Tunisian Cup finals and the Club World Cup in 2025.
The 2025 Club World Cup, which will take place in an expanded format with 32 teams in the United States, is set to run from June 15 to July 13.
This tournament, organized by FIFA despite initial opposition to its new structure, will see global football powerhouses compete, including Tunisian representative Espérance, who qualified as runners-up in the 2024 African Champions League.
They join other African clubs, such as Egypt’s Al-Ahly, South Africa’s Sundowns, Morocco’s Wydad, as well as Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, UAE’s Al-Ain, and 12 European clubs, led by Champions League winners Real Madrid.
A significant clash emerged when the Tunisian Football Federation scheduled the 2024-2025 Tunisian Cup final for June 15 at the Stade de Radès, coinciding with the Club World Cup’s opening day.
This decision has upset Espérance officials, who feel the Federation failed to account for their commitment to represent Tunisia on the world stage, potentially in the Club World Cup’s opening match.
A source within Espérance expressed frustration, describing the Federation’s decision as a “coincidence” that neglected the club’s international obligations.
“Espérance will compete in the Club World Cup and strive for positive results,” the source noted, adding that the timing of the Cup final disregarded Espérance’s role in representing Tunisia globally.
The ongoing tension between Espérance and the Tunisian Federation may also be influenced by the Federation’s temporary administration.
Appointed by FIFA, this interim committee is scheduled to hold office until June 31, 2025—the deadline for electing a new president to lead the Federation through to 2029.
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