The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be coming to American soil with an expanded format set to take place for the first time.
32 teams will take part in the expanded tournament between June-July 2025, FIFA announced Friday. Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea have already clinched berths into the competition as recent past winners of the UEFA Champions League.
The Seattle Sounders, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Monterrey, and Club Leon are among the other club teams from around the world that have already clinched Club World Cup berths.
FIFA had announced back in March the basic qualification path for clubs was to win a continental championship in any of the four years from 2021 to 2024 in the five main confederations; Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
Europe will have 12 representatives, while South America will have six as the only continents with more than four entries. Extra places are expected to be awarded according to team rankings by results a four-year span in continental competitions.
The current format of the FIFA Club World Cup is set to conclude in December 2023 in Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid won the 2022 edition last year and Manchester City will be UEFA’s representative this year after lifting a first UCL trophy in June.
32 team club cup in 2025. How many games for each club. Then a full season. Then back to the US for the 2026 for the real World Cup. That a lot of games for world class players for clubs like Barca Real City Milan or whomever
UCLA doesn’t seem to think so, MidWest. I would’ve enjoyed seeing KDB play a full match in the finals in the Champions league. From the post from the Bruin, players being injured is good for the game.
I started playing soccer in the mid-60’s before it was played much in high school or college. I was playing before the Dutch even invented Total Football. Soccer wasn’t even on TV then. Only in the mid 70’s or so did they show the finals of the World Cup. In 6 months I’ll be 78. My hometown, San Diego finally has an MLS team, to start playing in 25. There is so much great soccer going to be played in the US in the next 3 years or so, I just hope I live long enough to enjoy some of it. My health seems good, but you never know. It’s going to be expensive, too, so I hope I can afford some of it. I am so excited. For those younger, don’t ignore the chances to attend some of these great events. The worst regrets in life come from not taking advantage of the opportunities you have.
Thanks for this Gary. While not having the full experience you have had, being 50, I can relate a bit. I think this all is what makes me so sad to see what has happened to the soccer culture in the US in the past few years. The fandom use to be united (civilly discussing differences of opinion) by the underground nature of the sport and the knowledge that it could all be lost – a la the NASL (r.i.p. the Kicks).
Anyway, 80 is the new 50 so you’ll be enjoying the beautiful game for years to come!
You are one of the many people I think about when people say America has no soccer culture. I’m like there’s thousands of Americans, who’ve been in love with the sport for 70 to 80 years!! I can disagree with you as to when we thought Jedi had the skill set to be the US starter at LB. What I know is that you’ve been flying the futbol flag in America longer than I’ve been alive, I’m in my forties. (Gen X). Plus, you are a Diego boy!! (Can’t ever be mad at dat!) SoCal used to be where all the good US soccer players were from. I hope you’re enjoying seeing today’s US player because there’s more people playing today than ever. Respect! Salute!
Thanks to you and Master of the Obvious for your kind comments. In past years I often felt isolated in my love for and promotion of soccer. When I was 60 I moved to a senior community and the adjacent town, with a lot of retirees, had a ton of senior activities. I kept hoping that someone would start an old farts soccer league, but few people my age understand, much less love the beautiful game. It has been heartwarming to see youth soccer explode in SoCal.
More games in already over saturated schedules — follow the money and get ready for more injuries.
Doesn’t matter. If players get injured, there are players behind them waiting to take their place. Never forget that professional athletes in most cases make millions of dollars for playing a game, and we indirectly pay their salaries. Also, more games creates more opportunities for a larger pool of players. And creates more revenue that the players get a slice of. So it’s also good for the players.
The expanded field will make the Club World Cup more entertaining and way more relevant.
Players making lots of money as a justification for playing all these extra games is a false justification. Like saying NFL should play 2-3 times per week for same reasons.
There is lot of wear and tear and damage from all these extra games. This means the best players will have shorter careers and will fade away in the season faster – basically extra games means the games will be less high level on average, including at World Cups.
I prefer better quality games with the best players less often vs a myriad of games that become meaningless with tired players and subs due to first choice players getting more injured.
Pretty soon soccer will be like baseball at this rate – a pointless marathon of pointless games with small pockets of meaningful contests. No thanks.
Huh… well that coincides with the Gold Cup that summer….. which is going to be expanded and essentially be a CONFED cup.