The football calendar is a mess. Ask any professional player, and they’ll tell you the same thing between ice baths and airport lounges. But FIFA doesn't seem to mind. In 2025, they decided to blow up the old, somewhat sleepy seven-team format and replace it with a massive, 32-team beast. This isn't your older brother's tournament where a European giant flies in for two games, wins a trophy, and flies home.
It’s different now.
Honestly, the sheer scale of the teams in the club world cup has caught people off guard. We’re talking about a month-long marathon across the United States. You’ve got the heavyweights like Real Madrid and Manchester City, sure. But then you’ve got Auckland City, the perennial underdogs from New Zealand, and Inter Miami, who basically got an invite because, well, Lionel Messi lives there. It’s a weird, beautiful, and slightly exhausting mixture of the world's elite and the "how did they get here?" crowd.
The 32 Teams in the Club World Cup: Who Actually Made the Cut?
The qualification process was a bit of a headache for anyone trying to follow along at home. Basically, FIFA looked at the last four years of continental champions. If you won the Champions League or the Copa Libertadores between 2021 and 2024, you were in. Simple enough. But because that didn't fill all 32 spots, they started digging into four-year rankings.
This led to some pretty interesting inclusions.
Take Juventus or Chelsea, for example. Neither was lighting their domestic leagues on fire when the tournament kicked off, yet they secured spots based on past glory and consistent European coefficients. Meanwhile, South America sent a formidable contingent of six clubs. Brazil dominated this, sending Palmeiras, Flamengo, and Fluminense—all recent Libertadores winners. Then you have the Argentine giants, River Plate and Boca Juniors, who got in via the ranking pathway.
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It’s a global guest list.
- UEFA (Europe): 12 slots (Real Madrid, Man City, Chelsea, Bayern, PSG, etc.)
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 slots (Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, River Plate, etc.)
- AFC (Asia): 4 slots (Al-Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD)
- CAF (Africa): 4 slots (Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns)
- CONCACAF (North/Central America): 4 slots + 1 host (Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, Leon, Pachuca, Inter Miami)
- OFC (Oceania): 1 slot (Auckland City)
The "Invite" Controversy
You can't talk about the teams in the club world cup without mentioning Inter Miami. FIFA took a lot of heat for this one. Instead of a rigorous play-off, the host nation slot was handed to Miami after they won the MLS Supporters' Shield. Critics called it a "Messi tax." Supporters called it smart business. Either way, seeing a club that didn't even exist a few years ago go up against 14-time European champions Real Madrid is exactly the kind of chaos FIFA was hoping for.
Why the European Giants Aren't Always the Favorites
On paper, a team like Manchester City should sleepwalk through this. They have the depth. They have the money. They have Erling Haaland.
But football in July isn't played on paper.
Most European teams are technically in their "off-season" during the tournament. Players are coming off a 60-game season. They’re tired. Their minds are on the beach. Contrast that with teams from Brazil or the MLS, who are right in the middle of their league seasons. These squads are match-fit and sharp. We saw this in the earlier rounds when Al-Hilal knocked out Manchester City in the Round of 16. It wasn't a fluke; the Saudi side was just more physically prepared for the Florida humidity than a jet-lagged City squad.
The prize money is the only thing keeping the big guys focused. We're talking about a reported $50 million just for showing up. That buys a lot of motivation.
The Player Strike That Almost Happened
It’s kinda wild how close we came to not having a tournament at all. FIFPRO, the global players' union, was furious. They argued that adding another seven matches to an already congested calendar was "player abuse." Imagine being a Chelsea player. You finish the Premier League in May, play international matches in June, fly to the U.S. for the Club World Cup in July, and then have about twelve days of "vacation" before pre-season starts again.
It's a recipe for blown hamstrings.
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Legal threats were flying. La Liga even threatened to sue FIFA. In the end, the tournament went ahead, but the bad blood remains. There's a growing feeling among the teams in the club world cup that they are being treated like pieces on a chessboard rather than human beings.
The Transfer Window Chaos
One of the weirdest quirks of the 2025 edition was the contract situation. Most football contracts expire on June 30. The tournament ran until July 13.
This meant some players literally became free agents in the middle of the group stage. Imagine starting a game for Bayern Munich on June 29 and technically being unemployed by the time the second half started. FIFA had to scramble to create a "restricted in-competition period" to allow clubs to extend contracts by just two weeks. It was a logistical nightmare that showed just how rushed the expansion felt.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking at the future of these clubs and how they navigate these mega-tournaments, keep these points in mind:
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- Depth is the only metric that matters: Clubs with "thin" squads will crumble in this format. You need 25 starting-quality players to survive a month in the U.S. summer.
- Watch the "Seasonality Advantage": Always look at the domestic schedule of the non-European teams. A Brazilian team in mid-season form is significantly more dangerous than a Premier League team in "holiday mode."
- The "Messi Effect" is real but limited: Having superstars sells tickets, but as we saw with Inter Miami's early exit, individual brilliance rarely overcomes the organized tactical setups of teams like Al Ahly or Monterrey.
- Follow the money, not just the trophy: For many of these clubs, the $50-$100 million payout is more important for their long-term survival than the actual gold trophy. This tournament is a financial lifeline for many South American and African sides.
The Club World Cup has finally grown up. Whether it’s too big for its own good is a question we’ll be asking for years. But for now, seeing the best of every continent clash in a true World Cup format is a spectacle that, love it or hate it, you simply can't ignore.
To stay ahead of the next cycle, keep an eye on the 2025-2028 continental coefficients. That’s where the next batch of qualified clubs will be decided. If your favorite team isn't winning their domestic league, their only hope is staying consistent in continental play to grab one of those lucrative ranking spots.