The FIFA Council met ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup 2023™ semi-finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and took key decisions concerning the first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup™, which will be played in the United States in 2025. The competition’s official name will be Mundial de Clubes FIFA and will feature clubs from each of the six confederations.
The Council unanimously confirmed the club ranking methodology to be used as part of the key principles of access, which were approved at the Council’s meeting in March 2023.
To ensure the highest quality possible based on sporting criteria over the most recent four seasons, starting from the group stage of the confederation’s relevant premier club competition, and incentivising the result of every game in the respective tournament, the following methodology for the new standard ranking was approved:
3 points for a win
1 point for a draw
3 points for progress to each stage of the competition
In the case of European clubs, given that three full seasons and a full group stage of the fourth season of the UEFA Champions League have already been completed, and since UEFA has an existing club coefficient system, the current pre-existing methodology principles to calculate the UEFA club coefficient with matches in the UEFA Champions League only will be exceptionally applied to determine the ranking of European clubs for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
The approved methodology for the ranking of European teams is therefore as follows:
2 points for a win
1 point for a draw
4 points for qualification for the group stage
5 points for qualification for the round of 16
1 point for progress to each stage of the competition thereafter
Based on the approved principles of access and the results of the respective continental club competitions, the following clubs are already set to take part:
AFRICA – 4 teams
Via champions pathway (CAF Champions League) – 3 teams
- 2020/21 and 2022-23: Al Ahly SC (EGY)
- 2021/22: Wydad AC (MAR)
- 2023/24: TBC
Via ranking pathway – 1 team
- TBC
ASIA – 4 teams
Via champions pathway (AFC Champions League) – 3 teams
- 2021: Al Hilal SFC (KSA)
- 2022: Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)
- 2023/24: TBC
Via ranking pathway – 1 team
- TBC
EUROPE – 12 teams
Via champions pathway (UEFA Champions League) – 4 teams
- 2020/21: Chelsea FC (ENG)
- 2021/22: Real Madrid CF (ESP)
- 2022/23: Manchester City FC (ENG)
- 2023/24: TBC
Via ranking pathway – 8 teams
- FC Bayern München (GER)
- Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
- FC Internazionale (ITA)
- FC Porto (POR)
- SL Benfica (POR)
- TBC
- TBC
- TBC
NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA, CARIBBEAN – 4 teams
Via champions pathway (Concacaf Champions Cup)
- 2021: CF Monterrey (MEX)
- 2022: Seattle Sounders FC (USA)
- 2023: Club León (MEX)
- 2024: TBC
OCEANIA – 1 team
Via ranking pathway
- Auckland City FC (NZL)
While the 2024 edition of the OFC Champions League remains to be played, of the teams that may potentially participate, there is no mathematical possibility for any to overtake Auckland City FC based on the points gained by that team over the qualification period to date.
SOUTH AMERICA – 6 teams
Via champions pathway (CONMEBOL Libertadores) – 4 teams
- 2021: SE Palmeiras (BRA)
- 2022: CR Flamengo (BRA)
- 2023: Fluminense FC (BRA)
- 2024: TBC
Via ranking pathway – 2 teams
- TBC
- TBC
The final slot is allocated to a club from the host country, with further details being provided in due course.
Tournament dates confirmed
The first edition of the tournament will take place from 15 June to 13 July 2025. These dates have been set to ensure that the scheduling of the tournament is harmoniously aligned with the International Match Calendar to allow sufficient time between the tournament final and the start of the season in many domestic leagues globally, and considering that a minimum of three days of rest between matches should be guaranteed to safeguard player welfare.
Tournament format
The format of the competition was confirmed as follows:
A group stage composed of eight groups of four teams per group playing in a single-game round-robin format
The top two teams per group progressing to the round of 16
A direct single-match knockout stage from the round of 16 to the final
No third-place play-off
The competition will therefore follow the same format as the FIFA World Cup 2022™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, with the exception that there will be no play-off for third place.
“Clubs play a fundamental role in world football, and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be a major milestone in providing clubs from all confederations with a fitting stage on which to shine at the highest level of the game,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“This will be an open competition based on sporting merit that will play a key role as part of our efforts to make football truly global.” – www.fifa.com
