Football fans are already thinking about it: the Club World Cup is set to take place, yet the top European teams won’t be there. FIFA, however, isn’t particularly worried about this.
Let’s break it down. The best team from Europe hasn’t been determined yet. The UEFA Champions League final will be held on May 31 at Munich’s Allianz Arena. The FIFA Club World Cup will take place in the U.S. from June 14 to July 13. Imagine Arsenal facing Barcelona in the Champions League final—FIFA could be in an awkward position, as neither of these teams will be in the Club World Cup. Still, Inter Milan and PSG, the other semifinalists, have secured their spots.
Both Barcelona and Arsenal have paths to the final, but they’re different. Barcelona will face Inter Milan in the second leg of their semifinal at the San Siro after drawing 3-3 in the first leg. Arsenal, on the other hand, will play PSG in the second leg at the Parc des Princes after losing 1-0 at home. Both teams still have a chance to make it to the final.
Now, you might wonder: Why aren’t Barcelona and Arsenal in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup?
FIFA had previously decided that from 2021 to 2024, the champions of the continental club competitions from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America would secure automatic spots in the 2025 Club World Cup. Under this rule, Chelsea (2021), Manchester City (2023), and Real Madrid (2022 and 2024) have earned their spots. With 12 European teams in the tournament, the remaining nine spots were allocated based on UEFA’s club ranking system, which considers the past four seasons’ performances.
FIFA also introduced a rule allowing two teams from each country to participate. Since Real Madrid already secured a spot for Spain, the second spot went to Atlético Madrid, not Barcelona. How did this happen?
In 2022 and 2023, Barcelona were eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League. In 2021, they were knocked out in the Round of 16, and in 2024, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Atlético Madrid, on the other hand, had a better run: they reached the quarterfinals in 2024 and had better results overall in the past four years. Thus, Atlético, ranked sixth in UEFA’s standings, claimed the spot.
As for England, Chelsea and Manchester City secured the two spots. Chelsea won the 2021 Champions League, while City won in 2023. If only one English team had won in the past four years, UEFA’s rankings would have determined the second team. Inter Milan and PSG earned their places based on their performances, ranking fourth and second, respectively.
The absence of Barcelona in the Club World Cup is a blow to both FIFA and fans, especially since players like Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha won’t be featured. Similarly, Liverpool and Arsenal fans will miss seeing their star players in the tournament.
