The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to be the biggest edition yet, featuring 32 teams from across the globe competing in the United States. However, two of Europe’s biggest football clubs, Liverpool and Barcelona, are not part of the tournament. On the other hand, Chelsea and Manchester City have secured their places. Here’s a simple explanation of why this has happened.
Qualification Process for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA has introduced a new format for the 2025 Club World Cup. Instead of just having the winners from each continent, the new tournament includes 32 teams, with 12 spots reserved for European clubs. European teams earned their spots based on how they performed in the UEFA Champions League across four seasons, from 2021 to 2024.
There are two ways for European teams to qualify:
- Winning the UEFA Champions League (automatic qualification)
- Having a high ranking based on Champions League results over 4 years
But there’s one important rule: Only two clubs from the same country can qualify, unless a third one has won the Champions League.
Why Liverpool and Barcelona Did Not Qualify
Liverpool
- Liverpool reached the Champions League final in 2022 but did not win it.
- Although they had some strong results in Europe, they were not ranked high enough over the 4-year period.
- Most importantly, England already has two teams, Chelsea and Manchester City, and only two clubs per country are allowed unless more have won the Champions League.
Barcelona
- Barcelona failed to win the Champions League at any point between 2021 and 2024. ● They were also eliminated early in some of those seasons, including group stage exits.
- Because of this, they didn’t earn enough points to be in Europe’s top 12 clubs.
- Spain’s spots have already gone to Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and under the two-club rule, Barcelona missed out.
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How Chelsea and Manchester City Qualified
Chelsea
- Chelsea won the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League, which gave them automatic qualification for the 2025 Club World Cup.
- Their win secured a place regardless of their later performances.
Manchester City
- Manchester City won the 2022–23 Champions League title, which secured them an automatic place in the tournament.
- In addition to the win, they consistently reached later stages of the competition, helping their ranking.
Summary: The Key Reasons
| Club | Champions League Win (2021-2024) | Consistent UCL Performance | Country Limit Rule | Qualified |
| Chelsea | 2020-2021 | Not needed (auto entry) | England 1 of 2 | Yes |
| Man city | 2022-2023 | Strong performance | England 2 of 2 | Yes |
| Liverpool | Finalist 2022 | Good but not top ranked | Blocked (England full) | No |
| Barcelona | None | Poor UCL runs (early exit) | Spain already has Real Madrid | No |
Conclusion
The 2025 Club World Cup isn’t just about the most famous clubs, it’s about rewarding consistent and strong performances in the Champions League. Chelsea and Manchester City made the most of their chances and earned their spots through big wins and deep runs in Europe.
Meanwhile, Liverpool and Barcelona, despite their big names and loyal fans, didn’t do enough in recent Champions League seasons and were left out because of the rules. With only two clubs allowed per country, competition is tougher than ever.
As the tournament gets closer, fans will see many top teams from around the world come together in a World Cup-style club competition, but a few big names, like Liverpool and Barcelona, will be watching from the sidelines.
Written by Kinjal Walantra
