Some of the world’s biggest clubs will descend on the United States when the revamped FIFA Club World Cup gets underway this summer.
Among the 32 participants are Europe’s most recent champions: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich; however, there are some notable omissions, most notably Spain’s newly crowned champions, Barcelona.
Given the Catalan powerhouse’s stature, this has undoubtedly raised a few eyebrows, but there’s a rhyme and reason behind their exclusion.
Why are Barcelona not taking part in the 2025 Club World Cup?
The newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup provided opportunities for teams from the AFC, CAF, Concacaf, OFC, and UEFA to secure a place in this summer’s competition. In terms of European representation, UEFA allocated spots for 12 teams. The three most recent Champions League winners—Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea—automatically qualified for the tournament.
The remaining nine European teams were selected based on a ranking system considering results from the past four seasons. However, the rules stipulated that only two clubs per country could qualify.
As a result, only one additional team from Spain could participate. Based on Champions League performance, Atletico Madrid outperformed Barcelona. While Barcelona won La Liga in 2023, they were eliminated in the group stage of the European tournament in both 2022 and 2023 and reached only the round of 16 the previous year.
Atletico Madrid had a group stage exit and a round of 16 exit in the same timeframe, but they also made it to the quarterfinals in both 2022 and 2024, which was enough for them to secure their spot.
This same rule also prevented Liverpool from qualifying for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. No other English club could enter the tournament since Manchester City and Chelsea qualified automatically as Champions League winners.
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When is the 2025 Club World Cup?
Kicking off on June 15, the competition will culminate on July 13, with games taking place in twelve venues across eleven cities. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will host the opening game, with the final emanating from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
How did Barcelona fare in their 2024/25 campaign?
Theoretically, a competition showcasing the best clubs in the world should include Barcelona, but the rules are what they are. One thing’s sure: Barcelona was Spain’s best team during the 2024/25 season. Hansi Flick’s team was crowned La Liga champions with two games to spare and also claimed both domestic cup honours, winning the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España by defeating their eternal rivals, Real Madrid, in both finals.
Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals in European competitions, facing Inter Milan in an exciting matchup. They drew 3-3 at home but ultimately lost 4-3 after extra time at the San Siro. No other Spanish club reached this season’s final four of Europe’s premier club competition.
Flick earned a new contract and oversees a young, talented squad that has the potential to dominate both Spanish and European football for years to come. Who knows, they might even earn a place in the 2029 Club World Cup.