Why Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool aren’t part of Club World Cup as Premier League giants miss out due to FIFA rule
The 2025 Club World Cup will be a tournament we have never seen in football before – but some big teams will be missing. The competition has been expanded to include 32 teams from across the world and it will now be taking place every four years rather than annually. Arsenal won’t be part of the 2025 Club World Cup next summerGetty Liverpool also missed out on the tournamentGetty This means even more of the elite clubs from around the globe will be coming up against each other aiming to get their hands on some silverware. It will be taking place in the United States next summer and begins on June 15, 2025. The draw is set to be made this evening in Miami and from the Premier League, Manchester City and Chelsea will be in the hat. But Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool won’t be… FIFA rules for the Club World Cup state that only two teams from each country can take part in the tournament. 12 places were handed out to teams in Europe and they were decided by the clubs’ performances in the Champions League over the last four seasons. Because Man City and Chelsea have won the Champions League in that time, they take up the two English spots in the competition. Liverpool reached the final in 2022, but that still wasn’t good enough to displace City and the Blues who won it in 2023 and 2021 respectively. Man United and Arsenal had to win the Champions League last season to qualify but neither of them managed to do so. It meant that all three of the Premier League giants missed out on qualifying and therefore they won’t be part of the 2025 Club World Cup. Amorim’s first summer at United won’t include the Club World CupGetty The same UEFA ranking rules and two-team restrictions have seen some other European big-hitters miss out. Barcelona, AC Milan, Napoli, RB Leipzig and Sevilla won’t be playing in the tournament either. Clubs that are going to be heading to the USA include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Atletico Madrid. Benfica, Porto, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Red Bull Salzburg make up the 12 European representatives in the competition. Club World Cup: Draw pots Pot 1 Manchester City (ENG) Real Madrid (ESP) Bayern Munich (GER) PSG (FRA) Flamengo (BRA) Palmeiras (BRA) River Plate (ARG) Fluminense (BRA) Pot 2 Chelsea (ENG) Dortmund (GER) Inter (ITA) FC Porto (POR) Atletico Madrid (ESP) Benfica (POR) Juventus (ITA) Salzburg (AUT) Pot 3 Al Hilal (SAU) Ulsan HD (KOR) Al Ahly (EGI) Wydad Casablanca (MAR) Monterrey (MEX) Leon (MEX) Boca Juniors (ARG) Botafogo (BRA) Pot 4 Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) Al Ain (UAE) Hope of Tunis (TUN) Mamelodi Sundowns (AFR) Pachuca (MEX) Seattle Sounders (USA) Auckland City (NZL) Inter Miami (USA) Four teams from Asia, Africa and the North and Central America federation will also be playing along with six from South America and one from Oceania. A place in the Club World Cup was reserved for a team from the host nation too, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will be involved because of that. Inter Miami were chosen by FIFA to feature after they won the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, but it was seen as a controversial inclusion due to them not being MLS champions. It means Messi will be there, but he won’t be coming up against Man United, Arsenal or Liverpool who will all have to watch on from home.
The 2025 Club World Cup will be a tournament we have never seen in football before – but some big teams will be missing.
The competition has been expanded to include 32 teams from across the world and it will now be taking place every four years rather than annually.
This means even more of the elite clubs from around the globe will be coming up against each other aiming to get their hands on some silverware.
It will be taking place in the United States next summer and begins on June 15, 2025.
The draw is set to be made this evening in Miami and from the Premier League, Manchester City and Chelsea will be in the hat.
But Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool won’t be…
FIFA rules for the Club World Cup state that only two teams from each country can take part in the tournament.
12 places were handed out to teams in Europe and they were decided by the clubs’ performances in the Champions League over the last four seasons.
Because Man City and Chelsea have won the Champions League in that time, they take up the two English spots in the competition.
Liverpool reached the final in 2022, but that still wasn’t good enough to displace City and the Blues who won it in 2023 and 2021 respectively.
Man United and Arsenal had to win the Champions League last season to qualify but neither of them managed to do so.
It meant that all three of the Premier League giants missed out on qualifying and therefore they won’t be part of the 2025 Club World Cup.
The same UEFA ranking rules and two-team restrictions have seen some other European big-hitters miss out.
Barcelona, AC Milan, Napoli, RB Leipzig and Sevilla won’t be playing in the tournament either.
Clubs that are going to be heading to the USA include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.
Benfica, Porto, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Red Bull Salzburg make up the 12 European representatives in the competition.
Club World Cup: Draw pots
Pot 1
- Manchester City (ENG)
- Real Madrid (ESP)
- Bayern Munich (GER)
- PSG (FRA)
- Flamengo (BRA)
- Palmeiras (BRA)
- River Plate (ARG)
- Fluminense (BRA)
Pot 2
- Chelsea (ENG)
- Dortmund (GER)
- Inter (ITA)
- FC Porto (POR)
- Atletico Madrid (ESP)
- Benfica (POR)
- Juventus (ITA)
- Salzburg (AUT)
Pot 3
- Al Hilal (SAU)
- Ulsan HD (KOR)
- Al Ahly (EGI)
- Wydad Casablanca (MAR)
- Monterrey (MEX)
- Leon (MEX)
- Boca Juniors (ARG)
- Botafogo (BRA)
Pot 4
- Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)
- Al Ain (UAE)
- Hope of Tunis (TUN)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (AFR)
- Pachuca (MEX)
- Seattle Sounders (USA)
- Auckland City (NZL)
- Inter Miami (USA)
Four teams from Asia, Africa and the North and Central America federation will also be playing along with six from South America and one from Oceania.
A place in the Club World Cup was reserved for a team from the host nation too, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will be involved because of that.
Inter Miami were chosen by FIFA to feature after they won the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, but it was seen as a controversial inclusion due to them not being MLS champions.
It means Messi will be there, but he won’t be coming up against Man United, Arsenal or Liverpool who will all have to watch on from home.
