The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup qualification was the qualifying process which decided the 32 participants in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The final tournament was played in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025.
The majority of teams qualified based on performance in their respective confederations' club championships. Only a single play-in match was played as part of qualification, which determined the final team in the Club World Cup.
Slot allocation On February 14, 2023, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation for the 2025 tournament based on a "set of objective metrics and criteria". UEFA was awarded the most slots with twelve, while CONMEBOL was given the second most with six. The AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF were all given four slots, while the OFC and the host association were given one slot each. On March 14, the FIFA Council approved the key principles of the access list for the tournament. The principles were as follows, considering competitions completed during a four-year period from 2021 to 2024: CONMEBOL and UEFA (more than four slots): access for the winners of the confederation's top club competition between 2021 and 2024, with additional teams determined by a club ranking of the four-year period AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF (four slots each): access for the winners of the confederation's top club competition between 2021 and 2024 OFC (one slot): access for the highest-ranked club among the winners of the confederation's top club competition between 2021 and 2024
Host country (one slot): this was determined at a later stage.
If a club won two or more seasons of their confederation's top club competition, additional teams were determined by a club ranking of the four-year period. A restriction of two clubs per association was applied, with an exception for champion clubs if more than two clubs from the same association won their confederation's top club competition. The calculation method for the four-year club rankings within each confederation was based on sporting criteria during seasons completed between 2021 and 2024, and was finalized after consultation with confederations and stakeholders.
Host club selection As with previous editions of the Club World Cup, the new format allocated a slot reserved for the host nation. Traditionally, this slot was filled by the defending champion of the host nation. The champion of Major League Soccer was determined by a postseason playoff rather than the regular season record (in the case of the 2024 season, it was the LA Galaxy). The exact qualification method had been left undetermined for an extended period of time into the 2024 regular season. At the mid-season MLS All-Star Game, league commissioner Don Garber suggested that the spot could be filled with the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield winner, the MLS Cup 2024 winner, or a possible playoff between them.
On October 19, 2024, FIFA president Gianni Infantino appeared on the pitch shortly after Inter Miami CF's 6–2 home win over the New England Revolution on Decision Day, and officially announced that the final slot would be given to Inter Miami as winner of the 2024 Supporters' Shield, prior to the beginning of the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs and after Inter Miami had already won the Shield. The rationale for this was considered to be because the Club World Cup has traditionally taken the host champion through who won silverware in the "league setting." FIFA explained that it chose the Supporters' Shield winner because that award reflects a league setting, as opposed to MLS Cup. It also stated that it made the decision prior to Inter Miami CF's win, but could not announce it until regulations were approved in pre-scheduled conventions.
This decision came under criticism from fans and media pundits for its lack of transparency, lack of qualification by traditional sporting merit, and as an attempt to court sponsors by ensuring that Lionel Messi would feature in the tournament. On November 10, 2024, Inter Miami was eliminated from the MLS Cup playoffs by Atlanta United FC in the first round. Despite this, then-Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino defended the selection of the team, arguing that the Supporters' Shield was enough justification for selection.
Qualified teams The following teams qualified for the tournament: Years in bold indicate winner of that year's Club World Cup. ConfederationTeam(s)QualificationQualified date(s)ParticipationAFC Al-HilalWinner of the 2021 AFC Champions League4th Winner of the 2022 AFC Champions LeagueMay 6, 20234th Al AinWinner of the 2023–24 AFC Champions LeagueMay 25, 20242nd Ulsan HDBest-ranked eligible team in the AFC four-year rankingApril 17, 20243rd CAF Al AhlyWinner of the 2020–21 CAF Champions LeagueMarch 14, 202310th Wydad ACWinner of the 2021–22 CAF Champions LeagueMarch 14, 20233rd Espérance de TunisBest-ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year rankingApril 26, 20244th Mamelodi SundownsSecond-best ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year rankingApril 26, 20242nd CONCACAF MonterreyWinner of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions LeagueMarch 14, 20236th Seattle Sounders FCWinner of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions LeagueMarch 14, 20232nd PachucaWinner of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions CupJune 1, 20245th Los Angeles FCWinner of play-in matchMay 31, 20251stCONMEBOL PalmeirasWinner of the 2021 Copa LibertadoresMarch 14, 20233rd FlamengoWinner of the 2022 Copa LibertadoresMarch 14, 20233rd FluminenseWinner of the 2023 Copa LibertadoresNovember 4, 20232nd BotafogoWinner of the 2024 Copa LibertadoresNovember 30, 20241st River PlateBest-ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year rankingMay 14, 20243rd Boca JuniorsSecond-best ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year rankingAugust 22, 20242nd OFC Auckland CityBest OFC Champions League winner in the OFC four-year rankingDecember 17, 202312th UEFA ChelseaWinner of the 2020–21 UEFA Champions LeagueMarch 14, 20233rd Real MadridMarch 14, 20237th Manchester CityWinner of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions LeagueJune 10, 20232nd Bayern MunichBest ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingDecember 17, 20233rd Paris Saint-GermainSecond-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingDecember 17, 20231st Inter MilanFourth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingDecember 17, 20232nd PortoFifth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingDecember 17, 20231st BenficaSeventh-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingDecember 17, 20231st Borussia DortmundThird-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingMarch 6, 20241st JuventusEighth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingMarch 12, 20241st Atlético MadridSixth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingApril 16, 20241st Red Bull SalzburgNinth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year rankingApril 17, 20241stHost Inter Miami CFWinner of the 2024 MLS Supporters' ShieldOctober 19, 20241st
By nation NationClubs Brazil (4)BotafogoFlamengoFluminensePalmeiras United States (3)Inter Miami CFLos Angeles FCSeattle Sounders FC Argentina (2)Boca JuniorsRiver Plate England (2)ChelseaManchester City Germany (2)Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund Italy (2)Inter MilanJuventus Mexico (2)MonterreyPachuca Portugal (2)BenficaPorto Spain (2)Atlético MadridReal Madrid Austria (1)Red Bull Salzburg Egypt (1)Al Ahly France (1)Paris Saint-Germain Japan (1)Urawa Red Diamonds Morocco (1)Wydad AC New Zealand (1)Auckland City Saudi Arabia (1)Al-Hilal South Africa (1)Mamelodi Sundowns South Korea (1)Ulsan HD Tunisia (1)Espérance de Tunis United Arab Emirates (1)Al Ain
Confederation qualification For confederations other than UEFA, the method was as follows: 3 points for a win 1 point for a draw 3 points for successful progression to each new stage of the competition
The method used by UEFA to calculate the club coefficient was "exceptionally applied" to rank the European teams, and was as follows:
2 points for a win 1 point for a draw 4 points for qualification for the group stage 5 points for qualification for the round of 16 1 point for progress to each stage of the competition thereafter
KeyQualified as the hostQualified through winning the competitionQualified through the confederation rankingQualified through the play-in match
AFC Champions League Elite Table showing the top ten in the AFC rankings, as well as other relevant teams. One team qualified through the confederation ranking method. +AFC rankingRankTeamTotalpointsCompetitionpointsMatchpointsWDLPerformance202120222023–241 Al-Hilal11842762445ChampionFinalSemi-finals2 Ulsan HD8127541665Semi-finalsGroup stageSemi-finals3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors80305013113Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsQuarter-finals4 Kawasaki Frontale6415491542Round of 16Group stageRound of 165 Al-Nassr6121401243Semi-finals –Quarter-finals6 Yokohama F. Marinos6021391236Round of 16 –Final7 Pohang Steelers5621351053Final –Round of 168 Al-Duhail5318351056Group stageSemi-finalsGroup stage9 Urawa Red Diamonds491831944 –ChampionGroup stage10 BG Pathum United461828849Round of 16Quarter-finalsGroup stage11 Al-Ain431528914 – –Champion
CAF Champions League Table showing the top ten in the CAF rankings. Two teams qualified through the confederation ranking method. +CAF rankingRankTeamTotalpointsCompetitionpointsMatchpointsWDLPerformance2020–212021–222022–232023–241 Al Ahly140489226146ChampionFinalChampionChampion2 Wydad AC10836722199Semi-finalsChampionFinalGroup stage3 Espérance de Tunis1003664171310Semi-finalsQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal4 Mamelodi Sundowns98306819116Quarter-finalsQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsSemi-finals5 CR Belouizdad63214211910Quarter-finalsQuarter-finalsQuarter-finalsGroup stage6 Petro de Luanda58213791011Group stageSemi-finalsGroup stageQuarter-finals7 Simba5518371149Quarter-finals –Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals8 Raja CA4512331033 –Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals –9 Al Hilal3512235811Group stageGroup stageGroup stageGroup stage10 TP Mazembe321220556Group stage – –Semi-finals
CONCACAF Champions Cup Table showing the top ten in the CONCACAF rankings, as well as other relevant teams. +CONCACAF rankingRankTeamTotalpointsCompetitionpointsMatchpointsWDLPerformance20212022202320241 Monterrey5221311012Champion – –Semi-finals2 León 472126824Round of 16Quarter-finalsChampion –3 América442123724Final – –Semi-finals4 Philadelphia Union412120554Semi-finals –Semi-finalsRound of 165 Cruz Azul391821633Semi-finalsSemi-finals – –6 Columbus Crew371819542Quarter-finals – –Final7 Pachuca341519540 – –Round of 16Champion8 UANL321517451 – –Semi-finalsQuarter-finals9 Seattle Sounders FC281216440 –Champion – –10 Los Angeles FC251213413 – –Final –21 Inter Miami CF1064112 – – –Quarter-finals
Copa Libertadores Table showing the top ten in the CONMEBOL rankings, as well as other relevant teams. Two teams qualified through the confederation ranking method. +CONMEBOL rankingRankTeamTotalpointsCompetitionpointsMatchpointsWDLPerformance20212022202320241 Flamengo14145962996FinalChampionRound of 16Quarter-finals2 Palmeiras140459527144ChampionSemi-finalsSemi-finalsRound of 163 Atlético Mineiro 122428022147Semi-finalsQuarter-finalsRound of 16Final4 River Plate103337020108Quarter-finalsRound of 16Round of 16Semi-finals5 Fluminense97336418105Quarter-finals –ChampionQuarter-finals6 Boca Juniors71274410145Round of 16Round of 16Final –7 Athletico Paranaense5921381155 –FinalRound of 16 –8 Olimpia57213610610Quarter-finalsGroup stageQuarter-finals –9 Nacional5718391099Group stageGroup stageRound of 16Round of 1610 São Paulo531835983Quarter-finals – –Quarter-finals22 Botafogo371522643 – – –Champion
OFC Champions League For the OFC, only the best-ranked club that was continental champion qualified for the tournament. The confederation ranking was therefore not applicable, as Auckland City won all three OFC Champions League competitions in this qualification timeframe.
UEFA Champions League