Australia's Wanderers mulling boycott of Club World Cup

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Players for Australian football team Western Sydney Wanderers are mulling a boycott of this week's FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco over a pay dispute, the country's players association has said.

Australia's Wanderers mulling boycott of Club World Cup

(Reuters)





The Wanderers, who qualified as Asian club champions, are scheduled to play Mexican side Cruz Azul on Saturday with the winners going on to face Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

Wanderers players were in dispute with club management over distribution of the prizemoney for qualifying for the tournament, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) chief executive Adam Vivian said in a statement on the PFA's website (pfa.net.au).

The Wanderers have already secured $1 million for qualification. The eventual winner receives $5 million.

"The players have made every attempt to reach an agreement on a fair and equitable share of the prize money," Vivian said.

"Despite these intentions the club has consistently refused to negotiate in good faith.

"As a result of this the players, with the full support of the PFA, have unanimously taken the decision to consider their participation in the tournament.

"The players and the PFA remain committed to sitting down with the Wanderers management to negotiate an acceptable outcome for all parties."

The Wanderers and national governing body Football Federation Australia were unavailable for comment.

The club posted a picture on its Instagram account early on Sunday showing three players ready to board a plane at Sydney airport, with the caption: "First flight is up up and away. FIFA Club World Cup awaits. Morocco here we come!"









(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Patrick Johnston)


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