Chelsea, Real Madrid qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, as Arsenal, Barcelona, Liverpool misses out on list

Stephen Oladehinde 14:09 - 18 December 2023

In 2025, the FIFA Club World Cup will undergo a significant transformation, expanding to include 32 teams from across the globe.

This prestigious tournament, scheduled from June 15 to July 13, will be hosted in the United States, promising almost a month of high-calibre football showcasing the world's best clubs.

As the competition draws near, 19 teams have already secured their places, representing a diverse range of footballing powerhouses from different continents. The event promises to be a spectacular display of international club football, as reported by MLSsoccer

Football

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As of now, 19 teams have secured their spots through various pathways. Here's a breakdown of the qualified teams and the regions they represent:

Africa (4 Teams)

Al Ahly (Egypt): Qualified through the 2020-21 & 2022-23 CAF Champions League.
Wydad AC (Morocco): Qualified through the 2021-22 CAF Champions League.
Two more teams are to be confirmed.

Al Ahly (Egypt) || Credit: Imago

Asia (4 Teams)

Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia): Qualified through the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan): Qualified through the 2022 AFC Champions League.
Two more teams are to be confirmed.

Europe (12 Teams)

Chelsea (England): Qualified through the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid (Spain): Qualified through the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League.
Manchester City (England): Qualified through the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Bayern München (Germany), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Inter Milan (Italy), FC Porto and SL Benfica (Portugal): Qualified through the UEFA ranking pathway.
Three more teams to be confirmed.

Real Madrid || Credit: Imago

North & Central America, Caribbean (5 Teams)

CF Monterrey (Mexico): Qualified through the 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Seattle Sounders FC (USA): Qualified through the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Club León (Mexico): Qualified through the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup.
One more team from the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup and one host nation club to be confirmed.

South America (6 Teams)

Palmeiras, Flamengo, and Fluminense (Brazil): Qualified through the Copa Libertadores (2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively).
One more team from the 2024 Copa Libertadores and two more teams through the ranking pathway to be confirmed.

Fluminense || Credit: Imago

Oceania (1 Team)

Auckland City (New Zealand): qualified through the Oceania ranking pathway.

Tournament Format

According to MLSsoccer, The tournament will follow a group stage format, featuring eight groups with four teams each. Teams will compete in a single-game round-robin format within their groups.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16, leading to a single-match knockout stage up to the final. Notably, there will be no third-place playoff in this edition of the tournament.

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