In 2025, which teams should play Club World Cup was no longer just a hypothetical — FIFA expanded the tournament from a modest 7-team invitational to a full 32-club spectacle. ProteanCup will take you through which clubs are playing, how they qualify, and whether the right teams made the cut.
How qualification works for the new format
The revamped Club World Cup, beginning in 2025, is held every four years rather than annually. ProteanCup has mapped out the qualification rules so you know which teams get in and why.
- FIFA divides slots among the six continental confederations: UEFA (Europe), CONMEBOL (South America), AFC, CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North/Central America & Caribbean), and OFC (Oceania). Plus one slot for the host.
- Each confederation gets a fixed number of places for 2025:
- UEFA: 12 slots
- CONMEBOL: 6 slots
- AFC, CAF, CONCACAF: 4 slots each
- OFC: 1 slot
- Host nation: 1 slot (USA, in 2025)
- Teams qualify through performance in their continental club championships (e.g. UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, AFC Champions League, CAF Champions League, CONCACAF Champions Cup) over a four-year period. Some slots are filled by recent champions, others via “four-year coefficient / ranking” or other best eligible teams.
Teams participating in the 2025 tournament
Here are the 32 clubs that will play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, grouped by confederation, along with how they qualified. ProteanCup lists them so you can see if which teams should play Club World Cup aligns with your expectations.
- UEFA (12)
- Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg
- CONMEBOL (6)
- Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, River Plate, Boca Juniors
- AFC (4)
- Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD
- CAF (4)
- Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Espérance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns
CONCACAF (4 + host spot)
- Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, Pachuca, Los Angeles FC, and Inter Miami as host nation representative
- OFC (1)
- Auckland City
Should the best teams be playing? Debates and “notables”
Just because the system is clear doesn’t mean there isn’t room for debate. Here are places where many fans ask “is this fair?” or “should a different team be there?” in asking which teams should play Club World Cup:
- Historical giants missing: Some clubs with massive fanbases and history but weaker recent continental performance didn’t qualify. For example, Barcelona isn’t in the 2025 lineup despite its storied past. The new format rewards recent success more than legacy.
- Host nation benefit: Inter Miami gets a spot by virtue of being in the USA, even though it didn’t win a continental competition. Some see that as “unfair” but it’s part of FIFA’s plan to ensure local engagement and leverage host interest.
- Coefficient / ranking vs championship winners: Teams that have been consistent domestically or regionally are rewarded. But some argue that emphasizing four-year performance can favor financially strong clubs (with deeper squads) over those who excel in single knockout runs.
What which teams should play Club World Cup tells us about global football
- Power has shifted: The dominance of UEFA and CONMEBOL is reinforced — they get the most slots. But strong clubs.
- Importance of continental titles: A team’s route to global stage depends a lot on its Champions League or similar success in its confederation. If you want to play in the Club World Cup, winning your continental competition is now crucial.
- Competitive balance vs brand considerations: FIFA wants big names (for viewership and marketing) but also geographic diversity. The qualification criteria try to balance both.
Conclusion
Which teams should play Club World Cup in 2025 isn’t just a question of fan wishlists — it’s a system backed by merit, ranking, and representation. ProteanCup hopes you can see that the 32-team format brings more global flavor, more stakes, and new chances for so-called underdogs.
If you want, I can also list predictions for future editions (2029, 2033 etc.) or analyze which teams should be added in future versions based on performance and fan interest. Would you like me to do that next?
