In a significant announcement on Sunday, FIFA revealed the details of the revamped Club World Cup, set to debut in 2025 with a total of 32 participating teams. The tournament, which will take place in the United States and occur every four years thereafter, marks a departure from the current annual competition featuring seven teams.
Tournament Structure:
The 2025 Club World Cup will adopt a format familiar to World Cup enthusiasts, featuring eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stages, mirroring the structure of the global football spectacle. The tournament is scheduled to run from mid-June to mid-July.
Team Allocations:
Europe and South America will dominate the field, with 12 and six teams, respectively. Africa, Asia, and North America will have four representatives each, while Oceania secures one slot. The final slot will be awarded to a club from the host country, ensuring a diverse and competitive mix of participants.
Club Ranking and Qualification:
The road to the Club World Cup will be determined by a club ranking system based on sporting criteria over four seasons. Teams will accumulate points through wins, draws, and progress in their confederation’s premier competitions. Europe will employ UEFA’s club coefficients system for this purpose.
Confederation champions from 2021 to 2024 will automatically qualify for the Club World Cup. Notable European clubs such as Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, winners of the Champions League during this period, are among the qualified teams. Additional European qualifiers, based on points, include Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain, Inter Milan, FC Porto, and Benfica.
However, to ensure diversity, only two teams from a single country can qualify for the tournament, unless they secure continental victory. For instance, if Chelsea and Manchester City qualify from England, Arsenal can only join if they win the current Champions League season.
South American representatives include Palmeiras, Flamengo, and Fluminense, winners of the Copa Libertadores. Asian sides Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds have also secured spots, alongside African teams Al Ahly and Wydad. North America will be represented by Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, and Club Leon, while Oceania’s Auckland City has already secured progression.
The introduction of this revamped Club World Cup promises to bring heightened excitement, increased participation, and a more rigorous qualification process, setting the stage for a truly global football spectacle in 2025 and beyond.
