Club World Cup 2025: Everything you need to know about the teams, tournament format, fixtures and draw

A brand new FIFA Club World Cup format will be launched this summer, with several Premier League teams involved in the new-look competition.

In December of last year, FIFA announced that the new-look Club World Cup will feature 32 teams and will be played every four years from the summer of 2025.

It is an expansion of the previous version of the tournament, which took place every year and involved just seven teams from around the world.

But how does the tournament work and which teams will be involved? Sky Sports answers your questions below...

What is the Club World Cup?

Before its revamp for the 2025 tournament, the Club World Cup took place every year in December and was contested by the winners of continental club competitions from around the world.

For example, the winners of the UEFA Champions League would take part in the tournament every year and face off against continental counterparts from South America (CONMEBOL), Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), North America (CONCACAF) and Oceania (OFC).

But then FIFA announced in December that the competition would be expanded to 32 club teams and would take place every four years.

To replace the annual competition, an Intercontinental Cup will be played annually and have the UEFA Champions League winner playing in the final against a team that comes through intercontinental playoffs.

 

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When is the Club World Cup taking place in 2025?

The next Club World Cup will take place over 29 days in the summer of 2025.

The tournament starts on June 15, with the final taking place on July 13.

Where is the Club World Cup taking place in 2025?

The Club World Cup is taking place in the United States.

The tournament will take place across 12 stadiums:

• Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
• Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
• TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
• Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles)
• Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
• GEODIS Park (Nashville)
• Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
• Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
• Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
• Lumen Field (Seattle)
• Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).

Who qualifies for the new-look Club World Cup?

With an expanded line-up, Europe will have 12 clubs in the 32-team tournament and the spaces are allocated based on performances in the Champions League over four seasons from 2020-21 up to and including this season.

For the 2025 competition, the winners of the Champions League over the last three seasons will be joined by the best-performing sides in the tournament in the same period.

On top have qualified based on their Champions League performances over the past four seasons, including the current campaign.

The Asian Football Confederation, African Federation and the North American Federation will get four teams each based on the winners and best-performing teams in their respective Champions League competitions, while the South American federation will get six teams who perform the best in the Copa Libertadores.

One slot goes to one team from the Oceania Football Confederation - the best performing team in the OFC Champions League over the last four years, with the final slot going to an additional team from the host nation.

Who is taking part in the 2025 Club World Cup?

Europe

• Manchester City
• Real Madrid
• Chelsea
• Bayern Munich
• Paris Saint-Germain
• Inter Milan
• Porto
• Benfica
• Borussia Dortmund
• Juventus
• Red Ball Salzburg
• Atletico Madrid

Oceania

• Auckland City

South America

• Palmeiras
• Flamengo
• Fluminense
• River Plate
• Boca Juniors
• TBD (based on winner of 2024 Copa Libertadores)

North America

• Monterrey
• Seattle Sounders
• Leon
• Pachuca
• TBC (host nation slot)

Africa

• Al Ahly
• Wydad
• Esperance de Tunis
• Mamelodi Sundowns

Asia

• Al Hilal
• Urawa Red Diamonds
• Al Ain
• Ulsan HD

How does the tournament work?

The tournament format works exactly the same as the FIFA World Cup, only for clubs.

The 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four teams with the top two teams in each group qualifying to the knockout stage.

The last 16 stage then moves to the quarter-final, semi-final and then final - but there is not third-placed play-off between the two losing semi-final teams.

When is the draw?

The draw for the 2025 Club World Cup will take place in December 2024.