FIFA will host its new Club World Cup with 32 teams for the first time in 2025, after which there will be a four-year cycle. High income is on the horizon – for many the tournament is a problem.
What the new competition should look like
32 teams are playing, the tournament will be held in the current format of the World Cup for national teams. The two best teams from eight groups of four advance to the round of 16, and the winner is then determined in the knockout round. There shouldn’t be a game for third place.
One thing is certain: FC Bayern has already qualified for the 2025 World Cup.
Who from Europe plays in the Club World Cup
Twelve of the 32 starting places go to Europe. The four winners of the Champions League 2021 to 2024 are sure to be there. In addition to Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City, the winner of the current season will also be there.
The eight other places go to the other clubs via a four-year ranking list. According to FIFA, the following are already certain:
- FC Bayern Munich
- Paris Saint Germain
- Inter Milan
- FC Porto
- Benfica Lisbon
The three other European places are still open and will be awarded to the next-placed teams in the four-year rankings. They are still accessible for Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.
In principle, a maximum of two clubs from each country are allowed to play. An exception is possible if a third team wins the Champions League. From England, for example, Arsenal could still be there if the club wins the Champions League. For Liverpool FC or Manchester United, however, the door is already closed.
| confederacy | places |
|---|---|
UEFA (Europe) | 12 |
CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 |
CAF (Africa) | 4 |
AFC (Asia) | 4 |
CONCACAF (North America) | 4 |
OFC (Oceania) | 1 |
host country | 1 |
| total | 32 |
Who plays from the other continents
The other continents also field teams based on wins in their competitions comparable to the European Champions League and via a ranking. Known so far:
Africa: Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Wydad AC (Morocco), two other participants are still open.
Asia: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (South Korea), two more participants are still open.
North America, Central America and Caribbean: CF Monterrey, Club Leon (both Mexico), Seattle Sounders (USA), two other participants are still open. In addition, the host country USA will receive an additional place.
Oceania: Auckland City (New Zealand).
South America: Palmeiras, CR Flamengo, Fluminense (all Brazil), three more participants are still open.
When and where the tournament should take place
The tournament is scheduled to run from June 15 to July 13, 2025 in the USA and will then be held every four years.
How much money FIFA wants to make from the tournament
There are no exact figures yet, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino made it clear at the FIFA Congress in Kigali (Rwanda) in March that he has high goals. “We promise record revenues of eleven billion US dollars for the next four-year cycle (FIFA calculates its finances in World Cup cycles, editor’s note). The new Club World Cup is not included in this figure, so it will be around one could rise by a few billion.”
So it should be a “few billion”.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino with the Club World Cup trophy in 2019
For whom it is worth it
In addition to FIFA, it is primarily the top clubs that benefit. The European club association ECA praised the tournament highly. “The ECA warmly welcomes the announcement of the details of the new Club World Cup,” it said. “This new tournament is fantastic news.”
ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi (l.) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino signing their agreement in principle
The ECA and FIFA signed an agreement in principle at the end of March. ECA chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain and head of the Qatari sports broadcaster beIN Sports, said at the time that the ECA would now work closely with FIFA, which is also about “the management of commercial rights”.
For whom the new tournament is a problem
Problems arise for numerous interest groups in professional football.
Player: The strain on the players is high, especially at the top level, and a new tournament means more games in the already full calendar. “This leads to physical exhaustion, injuries, psychological problems, poorer performance and risks for the duration of the players’ careers,” criticized FIFPRO. At the same time, however, the players benefit: In the end, a large part of the income goes into player salaries and consultant fees.
National leagues: With the Club World Cup, FIFA is acting even more in the media rights market than before. Since UEFA will sell its rights to the expanded Champions League more expensively than before, a problem arises for national leagues such as the Bundesliga: a distribution battle begins. Because the DFB with the DFB Cup or the DFL with the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga are trying to get the same money from television broadcasters and streaming services. Because the top clubs in particular will benefit financially, the gap in the national leagues between the top teams and the rest threatens to continue to grow. According to information from Sportschau, some leagues are even considering taking legal action against FIFA because of the World Cup.
Women’s football: The Club World Cup is scheduled for June 15th to July 13th, but the Women’s European Championship is scheduled to start on July 2nd. This means that the new men’s tournament will overshadow the women’s European Championship for eleven days and can cost attention.
UEFA: In the power struggle with FIFA, the Club World Cup is a disadvantage. FIFA is thus strengthening its relationships with Europe’s top clubs, which UEFA also needs. In the long run, the Champions League could be downgraded to only the second most important club competition. However, it was difficult for UEFA to object at a sports policy level, as the top clubs in Europe benefit significantly from the new World Cup.
What out of contract players and new ones Commitments applies
The World Cup is scheduled to run from June 15th to July 13th, with expiring player contracts usually ending on June 30th. At FC Bayern, this currently applies to Alphonso Davies, Leroy Sané, Joshua Kimmich and Manuel Neuer, for example. If contracts are not extended in time, the players are likely to be said goodbye before the tournament.
It remains questionable whether newly signed players can be used before July 1st. FIFA would have to allow this and ensure equal treatment of the clubs. In addition, clubs and players would have to agree contractually.
Leroy Sané’s contract expires in 2025.
What happens in the years away from the new World Cup
The new Club World Cup is scheduled to take place every four years, so after the Club World Cup in 2025 in the USA, the next edition is planned for 2029. In the other years, FIFA does not want to remain idle. The FIFA Intercontinental Cup is scheduled to be held in the intervening years and for the first time in December 2024.
In a separate tournament with several knockout rounds, five teams from five continents excluding Europe will play to find a winner. This winner will then compete in the final against the current winner of the UEFA Champions League for overall victory.