FIFA Club World Cup: The Real Reason Arsenal and Liverpool Missed Out on the USA Tournament

Football fans might be wondering why some of England’s biggest clubs won’t be heading to the United States this summer for the brand-new FIFA Club World Cup. The revamped tournament kicks off on June 15 with a blockbuster opening match between African powerhouse Al Ahly and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

A Completely New Format

This isn’t your typical Club World Cup. FIFA has completely overhauled the competition, expanding it from a modest 7-team annual event to a massive 32-team spectacle that happens once every four years. Think of it as the World Cup for club teams, running from June 15 through July 13, 2025.

The tournament features clubs from every corner of the globe, with Europe naturally getting the lion’s share of spots (12 teams), followed by South America with 6. Africa and Asia each send 4 teams, while North America gets 5 this time around thanks to hosting duties. Oceania rounds out the field with just one representative.

Who Made the Cut?

The European contingent reads like a who’s who of football royalty: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, PSG, Chelsea, and Inter Milan lead the charge, joined by Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, and Red Bull Salzburg.

South America brings its usual flair with Brazilian giants Palmeiras, Fluminense, Flamengo, and Botafogo, plus Argentine heavyweights River Plate and Boca Juniors. The Asian representatives include Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds, UAE’s Al Ain, and South Korea’s Ulsan HD.

From Africa, we’ll see Egypt’s Al Ahly, Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, Tunisia’s Esperance, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. The CONCACAF region sends Mexico’s Monterrey and Pachuca, along with MLS sides Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles FC, and hosts Inter Miami. Auckland City carries the flag for Oceania.

The Qualification Puzzle

Here’s where it gets interesting – and explains why Arsenal and Liverpool are watching from home. FIFA used a backdated system, looking at continental champions from the past four years starting in 2021. So Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League triumph and Manchester City’s 2023 victory automatically secured England’s two allocated spots.

The key rule that caught many off guard? Only two teams per country can qualify through the standard route, unless they’re continental champions. Since Brazilian teams have been dominant in the Copa Libertadores recently, they get four spots. But for everyone else, it’s a strict two-team limit.

This means that despite Arsenal and Liverpool’s impressive recent form and higher league finishes, they were essentially locked out once Chelsea and City claimed England’s spots. The remaining qualification slots went to the next best teams from countries that hadn’t already filled their quota.

Tournament Structure and Stakes

The 32 teams have been divided into eight groups of four, with each group playing a round-robin format before the knockout stages begin. The prize money is eye-watering – FIFA has put up a total of $1 billion (roughly KSh 129 billion), with the winners taking home about KSh 5 billion. Even the runners-up won’t go home empty-handed, earning around KSh 3.8 billion, while reaching the semifinals is worth KSh 2.7 billion.

The Groups at a Glance

Some fascinating matchups await, including PSG facing Atletico Madrid and Botafogo in Group B, while Group C promises fireworks with Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, and Benfica. Group D features an intriguing mix of Flamengo, Chelsea, and LAFC, and Group G pits Manchester City against Juventus.

Looking Ahead

This expanded format represents FIFA’s vision for the future of club football, creating a true global championship that happens every four years. While it’s disappointing for Arsenal and Liverpool fans, the tournament promises to showcase the world’s best club talent in what could become football’s most prestigious club competition.

The bottom line? Sometimes timing and technicalities matter more than recent performance – a lesson that Arsenal and Liverpool learned the hard way, despite their strong showings in recent seasons.