The 2025 Club World Cup has kicked off in the United States with a completely reimagined format, expanding to 32 teams worldwide. Yet many fans are left puzzled as to why some famous clubs are missing from the lineup while others, less prominent recently, have made the cut.
This new tournament includes a diverse set of teams: 12 from Europe, six from South America, four each from Africa, Asia, and North/Central America, and one from Oceania. However, a notable point of confusion is the absence of clubs like Barcelona, Napoli, and Liverpool.
Despite UEFA securing the most slots in the tournament, several prestigious teams missed out. That’s because selection wasn’t based on recent form or league performance but on club performances in the UEFA Champions League over the past four years.
Chelsea, for example, earned a spot by winning the 2020/21 Champions League, despite not qualifying for Europe this season. Meanwhile, Liverpool, the current Premier League champions, didn’t make the cut due to the UEFA rule allowing only two teams per country unless more than two won the Champions League during the qualifying period.
Other selections were determined through UEFA’s coefficient ranking, which led to PSG, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Porto, and Benfica joining Chelsea, Manchester City, and Real Madrid as Europe’s representatives.
Here’s how the groups are set for the 2025 tournament:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: PSG, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis, Chelsea, Los Angeles FC
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad AC, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Red Bull Salzburg
Qualification was not just limited to Europe. South America’s Libertadores winners like River Plate and Fluminense, and continental champions such as Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, and Mamelodi Sundowns, all booked their tickets based on recent dominance in their respective regions.
Teams like Red Bull Salzburg and Porto secured their places via UEFA rankings, while Inter Miami and LAFC qualified through North American competitions like the MLS Supporters’ Shield and CONCACAF Champions League.
For fans in the UK, Channel 5 is broadcasting 23 free-to-air matches, and DAZN is live-streaming all 63 games, providing full coverage of this newly expanded and globally representative tournament.