The FIFA Club World Cup will go through a complete transformation from its 21st edition. Till now, the winners of the six confederations and the champion club from the host nation used to take part in the contest. After the expansion, a total of 32 teams will take part in the competition including the winners of the four previous continental championships of each federation, other best-ranked sides and a host team. Also, the tournament will be played every four years rather than occurring annually coinciding with the World Cup tournament of international teams.
The 2023 Club World Cup won by Manchester City was the last one in its present format. The first edition of the expanded format will take place in 2025 with the United States chosen as the host, a year before they also host the Men’s World Cup. The host cities are yet to be decided. FIFA announced the launch of the new Club World Cup in 2019 but the tournament could not be held because of the pandemic-hit hosts China back then. The Club World Cup will start from June 15 to July 13, 2025. The FIFA Council approved the slot allocation of the six confederations for the 2025 Club World Cup in February 2023.
UEFA was awarded the most slots with 12, CONMEBOL with six while OFC received just one slot. AFC, CAF and CONCACAF got four slots each. The qualifying principles will follow a four-year process from 2021 to 2024. The 32 teams qualified for the tournament will be divided into eight groups of four with the top two in each group qualifying to the knockout stage. A maximum of two teams from each association will be allowed to participate unless there is an additional continental winner from the region. In that case, the country cap will be lifted.
Here are the teams qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 so far:
UEFA - 12 slots
The UEFA Champions League winners from 2021 to 2024 will represent Europe at the 2025 Club World Cup alongside the eight best-ranked sides in the UEFA four-year coefficient rankings other than the winners of that period.
1. Chelsea (England) - 2020/21 UEFA Champions League winner
Chelsea has qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup by winning the Champions League in the 2021/22 season. The Blues won the title for the second time in their history and became the first side from Europe to qualify for the expanded version of the FIFA competition. Chelsea has been in two Club World Cup finals in three appearances, winning it once in 2022.
2. Real Madrid (Spain) - 2021/22 and 2023-24 UEFA Champions League winner
Record five-time winners Real Madrid will participate in the Club World Cup 2025 after winning their 14th Champions League title in 2022 and adding another one to their record in 2024. Carlo Ancelotti's men would have qualified for the competition anyway because of their higher place in the UEFA 4-year coefficient ranking. Los Blancos also has won the Club World Cup a record five times with the previous title coming two years ago in Morocco.
3. Manchester City (England) - 2022/23 UEFA Champions League winner
Manchester City have now booked back-to-back tickets for the Club World Cup after making their debut in 2023 following their first Champions League title. They would have qualified for the tournament without winning the Champions League because of their high coefficient ranking. The Citizens also secured their eighth Premier League title last season. Two teams are allowed per association so no more clubs from England can qualify with City booking their berth.
4. Bayern Munich (Germany) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have also made their way to the Club World Cup, coming third in the UEFA’s 4-year coefficient rankings but first into consideration as the top two, Manchester City and Real Madrid have both won the Champions League. The Bavarians will compete in the Club World Cup for the third time after winning it in 2013 and 2020.
5. Paris Saint-Germain (France) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
PSG are the sixth team to represent Europe with them the next best-ranked side. The Parisians are making their debut in the Club World Cup having failed to win the Champions League so far in their history. They will be the sole representative from France at the tournament. The record Ligue 1 winners are without superstar Kylian Mbappé for the Club World Cup after he made the sensational move to Real Madrid.
6. Inter Milan (Italy) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Joining them will be Italian giants Inter Milan whose magnificent run to the Champions League final last season, against all odds, boosted their coefficient rankings. The team made it to the last-16 stage this time narrowly beaten by Atletico Madrid on penalties. This will be the second Club World Cup campaign for the Nerazzuri having won the competition in their debut in 2010.
7. Porto (Portugal) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Two-time Champions League winners FC Porto will also travel to the USA next summer after consistent performance at the continental level. The Portuguese giants will play the Club World Cup for the first time after being among the top five teams in the UEFA’s 4-year coefficient rankings in consideration. For the first time, there will be representation from Portugal in the competition.
8. Benfica (Portugal) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Porto’s rivals Benfica have also qualified for the Club World Cup courtesy of the coefficient rankings. The Eagles’s consecutive quarter final appearance in the last two editions of the Champions League paved the way for a debut Club World Cup appearance.
9. Dortmund (Germany) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
The second club from Germany in the Club World Cup will be Borussia Dortmund who qualified in March this year after Bundesliga counterparts RB Leipzig failed to make it to the quarterfinals. Dortmund will also be making their debut in the competition. The Black and Yellow also made a sensational run to the final of the Champions League last season.
10. Juventus (Italy) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Despite facing a European football ban last season, Juventus kept hold of their high coefficient ranking for their consistent performance in the Champions League for the four-year qualifying period allowing them to enter the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. The Bianconeri also got help from FC Barcelona who knocked out then Serie A winners Napoli from the last-16 stage of the Champions League to make their work easy. Otherwise, their qualification would not have been possible.
11. Atletico Madrid (Spain) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
Atletico Madrid are the second representative from Spain in the Club World Cup after their city rivals Real Madrid and ahead of FC Barcelona due to their better coefficient ranking. Only the Catalan giant winning this season’s Champions League would have prevented Diego Simeone’s team from entering the competition in which they will make their debut.
12. Salzburg (Austria) - Best 4-year rankings (2021-2024)
The final slot in the Club World Cup from Europe will be taken by Austrian giants FC Salzburg who qualified by the UEFA rankings and Arsenal failing to move into the semifinals of the Champions League. Only the Gunners among the qualified clubs needed to win the competition to stand a chance to qualify for the competition.
CONCACAF - 4 slots + 1 host slot
CONCACAF or the North American football federation will have four slots in the expanded Club World Cup. However, the federation will have an additional slot for 2025 for a nominated host club as the competition takes place in the USA. The CONCACAF Champions League winners from 2021-2024 have qualified for the tournament.
1. Monterrey (Mexico) - 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winner
Monterrey were the first team to qualify from the CONCACAF for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after winning the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League defeating record winners Club America in the final. It was their fifth title in history. Los Albiazules will be appearing in the Club World Cup for the sixth time with their last participation coming in 2021.
2. Seattle Sounders (USA) - 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winner
In the following edition, Seattle Sounders claimed their first CONCACAF Champions League title and became the first MLS side to do so in the competition’s current format. It was also the first time since the turn of the century that an American team won the top continental tournament and the first time since a non-Mexican team won the silverware after 2005. The historical campaign sees the Sounders qualify for the Club World Cup for the second time.
3. Club Leon (Mexico) - 2023 CONCACAF Champions League winner
Also winning the CONCACAF Champions League title for the first time was Club Leon last year. As winners, they earned the right to play in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States alongside the other winners. The team has won their domestic title eight times
4. Pachuca (Mexico) - 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup winner
The third Mexican team to qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup is Pachuca after they claimed their sixth CONCACAF Champions League, rebranded as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Like Leon, they also beat a MLS team to lift the title. Los Tuzos will be appearing in the Club World Cup for the fifth time with the last one coming in 2017 where they finished third.
5. TBD (USA) - 2025 Club World Cup host
Additionally, an extra team from the host nation USA will participate in the 2025 Club World Cup making them the second club from the region.
CONMEBOL - 6 slots
The second most slot holders in the newly expanded Club World Cup is the South American football federation or CONMEBOL with six. The Copa Libertadores winners from 2021 to 2024 and the two best-placed sides according to the CONMEBOL 4-year ranking have qualified for the competition in 2025. The 2024 Copa Libertadores winners are yet to be decided with the rest in the four-year circle having been won by Brazilian clubs.
1. Palmeiras (Brazil) - 2021 Copa Libertadores winners
Palmeiras retained their Copa Libertadores title in 2021 allowing them to enter the 32-team Club World Cup 2025. It was their third honour overall. The Big Green will contest the Club World Cup for the third time after back-to-back qualification in 2020 and 2021. The Brazilian team reached the final for the first time in their last appearance but lost 2-1 to the UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea in extra time.
2. Flamengo (Brazil) - 2022 Copa Libertadores winners
Fellow club Flamengo broke the streak of Palmerias to win the 2022 Copa Libertadores but maintained Brazilian dominance in the competition. The Scarlet-Black will also make their third appearance in the Club World Cup for this success having secured the third spot in the competition last year.
3. Fluminense (Brazil) - 2023 Copa Libertadores winners
Fluminense created history for them last season as they won the Copa Libertadores for the first time allowing them to debut in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and qualify for the subsequent edition in 2025. The team will have competition-winning experience in the form of Thiago Silva and Marcelo, the latter winning the Club World Cup four times with Real Madrid.
4. Winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores (TBD)
5. River Plate (Argentina) - CONMEBOL 4-year ranking (2021-24)
Along with the Brazilian contingent, the two revered clubs from Argentina will also participate in the 2025 Club World Cup held in the USA. South American giants River Plate is looking to have their say in the competition after reaching at least the last 16 stages of the Copa Libertadores in the 4-year circle. Qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2024 edition was enough for them to secure a third Club World Cup qualification.
6. Boca Juniors (Argentina) - CONMEBOL 4-year ranking (2021-24)
Local rivals Boca Juniors will join them in the party after fellow Argentinian sides San Lorenzo and Talleres with Nacional of Uruguay were knocked out of the 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores at the Round of 16 stage. Boca was not involved in the current continental competition but their strong performances in the previous editions in the four-year circle including reaching the 2023 final booked their spot. The only other Club World Cup appearance for the Genoese was in 2007 when they ended as runners-up.
CAF - 4 slots
The African football federation or CAF are given four slots in the inaugural 2025 Club World Cup. The winners of the CAF Champions League from 2021 to 2024 are selected for the competition but with Al Ahly winning three titles in the last four years, the remaining slots goes to the two best-ranked sides in that period.
1. Al Ahly (Egypt)
African giants Al Ahly will compete in the 2025 Club World Cup having won three CAF Champions League in the last four years. The record winners clinched the title in 2021, 2023 and 2024 with their qualification secured early in March this year. The Red Devils are the second-most participants in the Club World Cup with 10 and have played a record amount of games in the competition with 25.
2. Wydad AC (Morocco)
While Al Ahly dominated the CAF Champions League, Wydad of Morocco beat the Egyptian heavyweights and the defending champions in the 2022 final. The national team went on to craft a fairytale in the 2022 World Cup so it was a memorable year for Moroccan football. It was the third title for the Casablanca-based side. They will also compete at the Club World Cup for the third time.
3. Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
One of the two best-ranked sides in the CAF 4-year ranking, Espérance de Tunis booked their ticket to the 2025 Club World Cup having consistently performed at the top level of the CAF Champions League in the past four seasons. The most successful club in Tunisian football, the Smiling One are competing in the Club World Cup for the fourth time and the first time since 2019.
4. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns is taking the final slot from Africa at the 2025 Club World Cup. Bafana ba Style has advanced to the knockout stage of the CAF Champions League in each of the last four seasons, improving their ranking. The team will take part in the Club World Cup for only the second time after their debut in 2016.
AFC - 4 slots
Like Africa, the AFC will have four slots in the 2025 Club World Cup. The AFC Champions League winners of the 2021 to 2024 and one best-ranked side will represent Asia at the Club World Cup.
1. Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Record AFC Champions League winners Al-Hilal will be one of the star names in the 2025 Club World Cup. The Saudi League giants clinched their fourth title in 2021 becoming the most successful side in the competition and reaching the final of the subsequent edition as well. Al-Hilal will be appearing in the Club World Cup for the fourth time.
2. Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
J-League outfit Urawa Red Diamonds defeated defending champions Al-Hilal in the double-legged 2022 final to secure their third AFC Champions League crown. Hence, they secured qualification for the 2023 Club World Cup and for the expanded 2025 edition. Like Al-Hilal, this will be their fourth participation in the competition.
3. Al-Ain (UAE)
Al-Ain had a campaign to remember last season after winning the top-tier of Asian Club football for just the second time in their history defeating the Riyadh heavyweights Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, costing their place in the Club World Cup and Al-Hilal on the way. Al Zaeem will participate in their second Club World Cup but for the first time as a non-host of the competition.
4. Ulsan HD (South Korea)
Joining them is Ulsan HD of South Korea who have one of the best rankings in the four-year cycle. The team made back-to-back semifinal appearances in the 2020-21 and 2023-24 editions helping them with a top ranking. The Tigers will play their third Club World Cup with their last action in the competition coming four years ago.
OFC - 1 slot
1. Auckland City (New Zealand)
The record appearance maker in the Club World Cup, Auckland City of New Zealand will be the sole representative from OFC or the Oceania football federation. The Navy Blues will make their 13th appearance in the 2025 Club World Cup having won the OFC Champions League a record 11 times and three in a row in the four-year circle.
