Remaining Teams at the Club World Cup and Their Continued Participation Rationale

Competitors Taking Part in the Club Championship and Their Reasons

The Club World Cup: A Global Showdown

By Torben Siemer

Updated and revised for a smoother read, with added context and insights:

It all started in 1960 when the world's best clubs battled it out in the first-ever Club World Cup. Back then, the tournament pitched the European champions against the South American champions. Over the years, the format has evolved, with teams from Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania joining the fray.

In 1975, FC Bayern became the first German team to qualify for the Club World Cup. However, a calendar clash with CA Independiente prevented them from competing until 1976, when they emerged victorious against Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte. Borussia Mönchengladbach (1977) and Hamburger SV (1983) came close, but it was Borussia Dortmund (1997) and FC Bayern (2001) who finally brought the trophy back to Germany.

The tournament landscape transformed in 2005, when champions from Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania were invited to participate for the first time. However, since then, only clubs from Europe and South America have tasted victory. The 2025 Club World Cup will introduce a new format, featuring 32 teams and a month-long battle to determine the champion, mimicking the structure of the men's World Cup.

Get the lowdown: Who's competing, how they qualified, and who to watch out for:

Group A

FC Porto: With Portugal's strong showing in the UEFA rankings, Porto earned a spot in the Club World Cup, even though they made an early exit in the Europa League. Keep an eye on striker Samuel Aghehowa and goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who recently shone for Portugal in the Nations League.
Palmeiras São Paulo: Winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores, Palmeiras are one of Brazil's largest clubs, boasting 12 national championships. Eighteen-year-old striker Estevao is set to join Chelsea post-tournament, but he'll aim to add a few more goals to his tally before then.
Inter Miami: Lionel Messi's presence at this tournament is unmissable, making Inter Miami a must-see. The MLS regular-season champions have a powerhouse squad, including Messi and former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez, and Jordi Alba. However, the franchise has yet to win a title.
Al Ahly SC: With 44 league titles and 39 cup wins, Al Ahly is Egypt's most successful club, and one of the most successful in Africa, boasting 12 African Champions League titles. Missing the final for the first time since 2019, Al Ahly will be determined to make an impact this year, with national team goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy leading the charge.

Group B

Paris Saint-Germain: Paris Saint-Germain earned their place via the UEFA rankings, despite winning the Champions League. Recent signings Ousmane Dembélé and Déyrice Doué have been turning heads.
Atletico Madrid: Atletico Madrid, also via the UEFA rankings, finished third in La Liga behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, before falling in the Champions League round of 16 to their city rivals. Reinforced by Clement Lenglet, the focus will be on strikers Alexander Sørloth and Julian Álvarez, and the ever-determined coach Diego Simeone.
Botafogo FR: Botafogo Brazil's most successful club, who won the 2024 Copa Libertadores despite going down to ten men after just 29 seconds in the final. Striker Igor Jesus and defensive talent Jair Cunha are ones to watch.
Seattle Sounders: The 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winners qualified for the tournament, currently sitting mid-table in the Major League Soccer. Top scorer Albert Rusnák looks back on 38 international appearances for Slovakia, and midfielder Obed Vargas is a talent to watch.

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Revised Context and Enrichment:

Now that the Club World Cup has evolved throughout the years, the tournament will feature an unprecedented 32 teams competing in 2025. This international spectacle will span a month, using the same format as the men's World Cup, with eight groups of four, the top two advancing, and knockout rounds from the quarterfinals to the grand final. Since the Club World Cup's inception in 1960, the tournament has produced memorable moments between the European champions and South American champions. This year, the global football community will witness the culmination of club football excellence as teams from across the globe battle it out for prestige, recognition, and a significant prize pool.

Participating teams will qualify based on their performance in various continental competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, and the AFC Champions League. Teams like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City from UEFA, Palmeiras São Paulo and Atletico Madrid from CONMEBOL, Botafogo FR and Al Ahly SC from CAF, and Inter Miami from Concacaf are among the exciting teams to follow this year. Keep an eye out for star players like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Kylian Mbappé as they lead their respective teams through the knockout stages. The Club World Cup presents a chance for these world-class athletes to display their abilities on the international stage, potentially securing their place in football history books.

The Commission has also taken a number of steps to ensure that the Club World Cup proposals are implemented in a way that is consistent with the objectives of the common agricultural policy, such as providing funding for sustainable sports infrastructure development.

During the Club World Cup, fans can watch exciting football matches featuring star players like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Kylian Mbappé, in addition to supporting their favorite clubs from Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania.