FIFA lock Man Utd and Liverpool out of Club World Cup – but Arsenal have hope

FIFA want the Club World Cup to be one of the biggest competitions in football – with a 32-team tournament set to be held in the United States in 18 months’ time

MIRROR

Manchester United and Liverpool will be ineligible to compete in the revamped Club World Cup in 2025 – even if either of them win next season’s Champions League.

FIFA will make huge changes to their marquee club competition after the 2023 edition, which is currently ongoing in Saudi Arabia. The existing format sees the champions of each continent face off in an annual tournament to determine the world’s best team.

Yet the Club World Cup has never captured the public’s imagination since it’s inception in 2000, as the Champions League holders almost always win it. Manchester City will face Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-final of the ongoing tournament on Tuesday, with Brazil’s Fluminense or Egypt’s Al Ahly waiting in Friday’s final.

FIFA want to make the Club World Cup one of the game’s most prestigious competitions and will expand it from seven to 32 teams for the 2025 edition, which will be held in the United States. The competition will be played every four years from then onwards.

To make the Club World Cup as far-reaching as possible, FIFA will only allow two clubs from each county to enter it. Premier League teams can qualify for the competition by winning the Champions League during a four-year window.

For the 2025 edition, that four-year window is between 2020 and 2024. That means Chelsea, who won the Champions League in 2021, and Manchester City, the reigning European champions, have already secured England’s two spots for the tournament.

Yet FIFA will abandon their two-club rule if there are more than two continental winners from the same country during a four-year qualification period. Therefore, Arsenal can qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup if they win this season’s Champions League.

But, as the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Newcastle are not taking part in the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League, their hopes of playing in the United States in 18 months’ time are non-existent.

FIFA chiefs met in Jeddah on Sunday to discuss the qualifying criteria for the 2025 Club World Cup, which will take place between June 15 and July 13. Chelsea, Manchester City and 2022 Champions League winners Real Madrid have all qualified.