Who's In And Why: How Each Club Earned A Spot In The Club World Cup

In less than two weeks, starting June 14th, the United States hosts the first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, with this year's a scaled-up edition designed to feel every bit as momentous as the international version. Twelve European heavyweights, six South-American giants and representatives from every other confederation are set chase a £100 million winners’ purse. Yet the route each club took to reach America is anything but straightforward for so many, with some spending four years of accumulating continental trophies, and others qualifying through algorithmic ranking tables and thats all while adhering to a strict “two-per-country” ceiling to allow for a variety of different clubs taking part.

Can’t lie … FIFA Club World Cup might actually be fun! pic.twitter.com/EORT5HpU4c

— António Mango (@AntonioMango4) June 1, 2025

How the Slots Were Served Up

FIFA insists the blueprint for the Club World Cup rewards both peak achievement and sustained excellence for numerous years, with the champions getting a golden ticket, while ranking tables stop the draw turning stale if the same clubs monopolise trophies. Though this format does have its anomalies, for example, Liverpool’s absence, or the fact that two-thirds of the £4 billion total squad value comes from UEFA entrants. That said, without the “two-per-nation” cap, the tournament risked becoming a re-badged Champions League.

Eyes on the prize. 🏆 #TakeItToTheWorld | #FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/qqqhMrvbES

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 1, 2025

So who were selected and why?

FIFA began by ring-fencing places for every continental champion from 2021-24. That immediately locked in Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Monterrey, Seattle Sounders and Auckland City. Once duplicates were removed (Real Madrid), the confederation quotas kicked in, which are as follows: 12 for UEFA, 6 for CONMEBOL, 4 each for AFC, CAF and CONCACAF, 1 for OFC, plus a host berth - Inter Miami.

Following this, the gaps left by repeat winners of their continental competition were back-filled using a four-season performance table. In Europe that meant the familiar UEFA coefficient - used for the Champions League - while elsewhere, FIFA compiled its own index, awarding five points for a win, three for a draw and bonus marks for reaching each knockout round. A final safeguard limited any domestic league to two clubs unless a third had lifted a continental crown, the reason why Liverpool were locked out because England’s quota is already taken by Chelsea and City.

The Rest Of The World And South America

This years competition sees CONCACAF’s quartet at its most diverse ever. Monterrey ride a tournament-best 83 per-cent win rate since 2021, Seattle Sounders broke MLS’s continental hoodoo, Pachuca added a seventh regional trophy, and LAFC edged Club América on away goals in a special play-in. Inter Miami enter as hosts, which guarantees Lionel Messi possibly one last chance to compete in the competition.

Africa's chances lean heavily on Al Ahly, who are winners of three of the last four CAF titles and unbeaten in 47 home fixtures. Joining them are 2022 champions Wydad, Tunisia’s Espérance (1.79 points-per-match in CAF competition) and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, whose high-pressing style produced 107 goals in the last two domestic seasons.

From Africa to the world. 🌍#FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/zP7dxxBNCO

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) December 3, 2024

Asia’s contingent reflects the region’s recent power shift. Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund, and UAE underdogs Al Ain flank Japan’s ever-resilient Urawa and South Korea’s Ulsan HD. Oceania’s lone slot, inevitably, belongs to Auckland City, who have reached 11 OFC finals in 12 years and once finished third at the old seven-team Club World Cup.

Finaly, South America's particicants include Palmeiras, who featured in back-to-back Libertadores finals, Flamengo - the 2022 champions, and Fluminense earned automatic tickets, while coefficient places reward River Plate and Boca Juniors, who between them, have lifted the Libertadores 10 times since 2000, and finally, 2024 surprise champions Botafogo. Brazil could have hogged five of six spots, yet the ranking buffer ensures Argentina’s get their fair share of participants.

A Billion-Dollar Gamble

The financial gain that can be made from this tournament is not one that any team can turn their nose up at, those of smaller leagues in particular, but also the bigger clubs in the Premier League with the constant battle against PSR rules. In fact the stakes dwarf anything outside Europe, with simply turning up guaranteeing about £15 million, almost the entirety of Al Ahly’s annual wage bill, and so, for clubs such as Seattle, Espérance or Ulsan, one upset could bankroll a decade of academy investment.

🏆 Club World Cup Prize Money:
•💵 $2 million — per win
•🤝 $1 million — per draw
•🎯 $7.5 million — Round of 16
•🚀 $13.12 million — Quarterfinals
•🏁 $21 million — Semifinals
•🥈 $30 million — Runner-up
•🥇 $40 million — Champion

— @AranchaMOBILE pic.twitter.com/8j4Uea9VR8

— Real Madrid Info ³⁶ (@RMadridInfo) May 21, 2025