The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is beginning to take shape as the eight groups for next summer’s tournament have now been confirmed.
The competition has been entirely restructured, with an array of the world’s grandest clubs from all six continental federations participating.
The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Bayern Munich will all travel to the United States next summer as they duel to be crowned world champions.
However, there are some notable omissions from the recent 2025 Club World Cup draw, especially in Europe.
The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are all absent, while Catalan giants Barcelona will watch on from home.
Here are why some of Europe’s behemoths are missing from the tournament.
- How many European teams will compete at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
There will be 32 teams vying for the trophy at next summer’s Club World Cup as FIFA invest heavily in their refreshed competition.
All six continental federations will have representatives at the tournament and UEFA boast comfortably the most.
12 European sides will compete in the United States and their participation in the tournament is based on Champions League performances over the past four seasons, with all winners from 2020/21 to 2023/24 automatically reaching the group stage.
- Why are Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd not playing at the 2025 FIFA World Cup?
A maximum of two sides from any given nation are allowed to compete at the 2025 Club World Cup, with the only exception being if three or more teams from the same country have won their continental equivalent of the Champions League over the past four seasons.
For example, the last four Copa Libertadores winners – Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo and Palmeiras – are from Brazil, but have all made it to the tournament.
In Europe, Chelsea, Real Madrid (twice) and Manchester City are the teams that have won the Champions League since 2020/21, thus securing automatic qualification for the Club World Cup.
However, the presence of Chelsea and Man City means there can be no more English sides at the tournament.
Nine of the UEFA clubs attending the Club World Cup have qualified via their four-year European ranking, but Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd are unable to reach the tournament regardless of their recent performances on the continent.
The only way that Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd can guarantee their spot at the 2029 Club World Cup would be to win the Champions League in one of the next four seasons.
- Why are Barcelona not playing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
Similarly to some of England’s giants, Barcelona couldn’t secure qualification to the Club World Cup via winning the Champions League, with Real Madrid securing one of Spain’s two spots due to their triumphs in 2021/22 and 2023/24.
Barcelona could have still qualified via their four-year European ranking, but failed to do so due to Atletico Madrid’s superior record in that department.
Atletico’s qualification filled Spain’s maximum quota of two clubs, meaning La Blaugrana have missed out entirely.
What we know
- Group stage draw has been conducted for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
- Arsenal, Barcelona, Liverpool and Man Utd among the European giants not competing
- Tournament is being hosted by the United States next summer.
