The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup marks a bold new chapter for the tournament, which for years operated on a modest seven-team format. In a massive shift, FIFA has expanded the event to feature 32 clubs from around the globe. Europe has claimed the lion’s share of the slots, with 12 teams qualifying—more than any other continent. At the other end of the spectrum, Oceania holds steady with just one spot, as it did under the previous setup.
South America ranks next in representation, sending six clubs to the tournament, including a dominant quartet from Brazil—more than any other single nation. Thanks to the United States hosting this year’s edition, Concacaf secures five berths. Asia and Africa will each contribute four teams. Major League Soccer will be well-represented, with Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami, and LAFC all included.
Below is a complete breakdown of the 32 participating teams, categorized by confederation, along with their qualification routes. Additionally, you’ll find details on the tournament’s group stage structure.
What Teams Are Competing in the 2025 Club World Cup?
With the tournament serving as a massive lead-in to the 2026 World Cup, FIFA had to think outside the box when selecting teams. Rather than solely relying on the 2024 continental tournaments, FIFA crafted a selection strategy that considered both championship wins and club rankings to ensure balanced representation across the globe. Here’s the final list of teams, organized by confederation and including how each club earned its ticket to the tournament.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) – 4 Teams
- Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) – 2021 AFC Champions League winners
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) – 2022 AFC Champions League winners
- Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) – 2023–24 AFC Champions League winners
- Ulsan HD (South Korea) – Qualified via AFC club rankings
Confederation of African Football (CAF) – 4 Teams
- Al Ahly SC (Egypt) – 2020–21, 2022–23, and 2023–24 CAF Champions League winners
- Wydad AC (Morocco) – 2021–22 CAF Champions League winners
- Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia) – Qualified via CAF club rankings
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) – Qualified via CAF club rankings
Concacaf (North, Central America, Caribbean) – 5 Teams
- Monterrey (Mexico) – 2021 Concacaf Champions League winners
- Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 Concacaf Champions League winners
- Pachuca (Mexico) – 2024 Concacaf Champions League winners
- Inter Miami (USA) – Host slot, 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners
- LAFC (USA) – Qualified via play-in match
CONMEBOL (South America) – 6 Teams
- Palmeiras (Brazil) – 2021 Copa Libertadores winners
- Flamengo (Brazil) – 2022 Copa Libertadores winners
- Fluminense (Brazil) – 2023 Copa Libertadores winners
- Botafogo (Brazil) – 2024 Copa Libertadores winners
- River Plate (Argentina) – Qualified via CONMEBOL club rankings
- Boca Juniors (Argentina) – Qualified via CONMEBOL club rankings
Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) – 1 Team
- Auckland City FC (New Zealand) – OFC Champions League winners in 2022, 2023, and 2024
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) – 12 Teams
- Chelsea (England) – 2020–21 UEFA Champions League winners
- Real Madrid (Spain) – 2021–22 and 2023–24 UEFA Champions League winners
- Manchester City (England) – 2022–23 UEFA Champions League winners
- Bayern Munich (Germany) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Paris Saint-Germain (France) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Inter Milan (Italy) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Porto (Portugal) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Atlético Madrid (Spain) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Benfica (Portugal) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Juventus (Italy) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
- Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) – Qualified via UEFA club rankings
Club World Cup 2025: Group Stage Overview
The tournament kicks off with a group stage featuring eight groups of four teams. Each group will compete in a round-robin format, with the top teams advancing to the knockout stages. Here’s how the draw has unfolded:
Group A
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Porto (Portugal)
- Palmeiras (Brazil)
- Inter Miami (USA)
Group B
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
- Atlético Madrid (Spain)
- Botafogo (Brazil)
- Seattle Sounders (USA)
Group C
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Auckland City (New Zealand)
- Boca Juniors (Argentina)
- Benfica (Portugal)
Group D
- Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
- Flamengo (Brazil)
- Chelsea (England)
- LAFC (USA)
Group E
- River Plate (Argentina)
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
- Monterrey (Mexico)
- Inter Milan (Italy)
Group F
- Fluminense (Brazil)
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Ulsan HD (South Korea)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Group G
- Manchester City (England)
- Wydad AC (Morocco)
- Al Ain (UAE)
- Juventus (Italy)
Group H
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
- Pachuca (Mexico)
- Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
This historic edition of the Club World Cup promises intense matchups, global star power, and a thrilling lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.