In 2025, all football fans can look forward to a new tournament: the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The Club World Cup is not completely new, it is just being revamped!
What will the new Club World Cup 2025 look like, where will the “FIFA Club World Cup” take place and what will the new format look like?
All information about the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 can be found here: participants, teams, dates, mode, schedule and venue.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at a glance
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 mode: What will change at the FIFA Club World Cup?
The annual FIFA Club World Cup has been taking place since 2000. In the beginning, the European champion played against the South American champion, but the Club World Cup was gradually expanded. For the most recent edition in 2023, the winners of the six continental club championships and a team from the host country were taking part.
But that will change significantly from 2025! In order to enhance the competition, FIFA has now decided on a change:
From 2025, there will be a “real” Club World Cup, in which 32 teams from around the world will participate.
The new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 mode will then look like this: 32 teams will be drawn into eight groups of four teams each. In the preliminary round, each team plays against each other once and the two best teams from each group advance to the round of 16.
In the knockout phase, the knockout system will then be used, as is usual for tournaments – quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
FIFA has yet to decide whether there will also be a third-place play-off. Since this brings in additional revenue, it is highly likely that there will be one.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Dates, schedule & fixtures
The new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
However, the exact Club World Cup 2025 match schedule has not yet been determined. So far, only the dates for the opening match and the final are known.
The opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place on June 15, 2025. The date for the final is scheduled for July 13, 2025.
FIFA Club World Cup Venue: Where will the FIFA Club World Cup be held in 2025?
The first venue for the new FIFA prestige competition will be the United States, which, together with Mexico and Canada, is hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, it is not yet known which cities and stadiums are being considered to host the matches of the new FIFA Club World Cup.
It is conceivable that the matches of the Club World Cup 2025 will be played in the stadiums that will also host the matches of the FIFA World Cup for national teams the following year. As a dress rehearsal, if you will.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 venue: “Thanks to the necessary infrastructure and massive local interest, the United States is the ideal host to launch this new global tournament.”
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 participants: Who’s in?
A total of 32 teams from around the world will compete in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
The field of participants will consist of twelve teams from Europe (UEFA), six teams from South America (CONMEBOL), four teams each from North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Africa (CAF) and Asia (AFC), and one team from Oceania (OFC).
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 field will be completed by a representative of the host country.
How do teams qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?
The composition of the participants and teams in the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is somewhat complicated.
One thing is certain: the 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons will form the basis for qualification for the 2025 Club World Cup.
The 12 teams from Europe are made up as follows: the four Champions League winners from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The other eight European places on the list of Club World Cup 2025 participants will be awarded via a four-year ranking of the Champions League.
On the other continents, teams will also qualify for the first FIFA Club World Cup via their most important club competition, which is comparable to the European Champions League, as well as via the respective ranking.
These are the teams of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Europe (UEFA):
- Chelsea FC (ENG), UEFA Champions League 2020/21
- Real Madrid (ESP), UEFA Champions League 2021/22
- Manchester City (ENG), UEFA Champions League 2022/23
- Juventus Turin (ITA), UEFA ranking
- Bayern Munich (GER), UEFA ranking
- Borussia Dortmund (GER), UEFA ranking
- Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), UEFA ranking
- Inter Milan (ITA), UEFA ranking
- FC Porto (POR), UEFA ranking
- Benfica Lisbon (POR), UEFA ranking
- RB Salzburg (AUT), UEFA ranking
- Atletico Madrid (ESP), UEFA ranking
South America (CONMEBOL):
- Palmeiras São Paulo (BRA), Copa Libertadores 2021
- Flamengo Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Copa Libertadores 2022
- Fluminense Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Copa Libertadores 2023
- Copa Libertadores winner 2024
- CONMEBOL ranking
- CONMEBOL ranking
Asia (AFC):
- al-Hilal (KSA), AFC Champions League 2021
- Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), AFC Champions League 2022/23
- AFC Champions League winner 2023/24
- Ulsan HD FC (KOR), AFC Ranking
Africa (CAF):
- al Ahly (EGY), CAF Champions League 2020/21 & 2022/23
- Wydad Casablanca (MAR), CAF Champions League 2021/22
- Esperance Tunis (TUN), CAF Champions League 2023/24
- Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), CAF-Ranking
North America, Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF):
- CF Monterrey (MEX), CONCACAF Champions League 2021
- Seattle Sounders (USA), CONCACAF Champions League 2022
- Club León (MEX), CONCACAF Champions League 2023
- CONCACAF Champions Cup winner 2024
- USA, one host team
Oceania (OFC):
- Auckland City (NZE), OFC ranking
Who will represent Europe at the 2025 Club World Cup?
Twelve of the 32 starting places for the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will go to Europe.
The four Champions League winners from 2021 to 2024 are already guaranteed a place. These are:
- ✅ Chelsea FC (2021 winners)
- ✅ Real Madrid (2022 winners)
- ✅ Manchester City (winner 2023)
- ✅ Borussia Dortmund (winner 2024 or ranking)
The eight other European places on the list of Club World Cup 2025 participants are determined by a Champions League ranking from the last four seasons.
According to FIFA, the following clubs are guaranteed a place:
- ✅ Bayern Munich
- ✅ Paris Saint-Germain
- ✅ Inter Milan
- ✅ FC Porto
- ✅ Benfica Lisbon
- ✅ Juventus Turin
- ✅ RB Salzburg
- ✅ Atletico Madrid
One of the places went to Borussia Dortmund in March 2024. And that was because RB Leipzig missed out on the 2024 Champions League quarterfinals. Due to the UEFA ranking, BVB is now a participant in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Atletico Madrid prevailed against FC Barcelona in the battle for the second Spanish spot behind Real Madrid. In Italy, it was Juventus Turin alongside Inter Milan.
The remaining places went to RB Salzburg, PSG, FC Porto and Benfica Lisbon.
What problems will clubs and players face with this new tournament?
The new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will create some serious difficulties and problems for numerous stakeholders in professional football.
The burden on players is already very high, especially at the top level, and a new tournament means more games in an already busy calendar. After all, the players from the participating teams don’t really have a summer break.
For the national leagues, the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 means that the teams that play in it will become even richer. The prize money is said to be over 2 billion euros. How much the winner gets is not yet known.
And women’s soccer also has problems with the new Club World Cup 2025. This is because the Club World Cup 2025 is planned for June 15 to July 13, but the European Women’s Championship is scheduled to begin in Switzerland on July 2, 2025. This means that the new men’s tournament in the USA will overlap with the women’s EURO 2025 for eleven days and will certainly cost some attention.
