For most European football fans, the FIFA Club World Cup has been at best an almost quaint mid-season distraction and at worst a disruptive trip to the other side of the world that they could do without.
But all this is set to change as FIFA gear up for the new, relaunched version of the tournament, which they hope will become a highlight of the footballing calendar.
So how will it work, who will be involved, when and where will it be played and how can you get tickets? FourFourTwo has everything you need to know about the competition - and make sure you bookmark this page as we'll be updating it regularly with the latest news and up-to-date information.
Format
What is the new format for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?
The Club World Cup is being completely revamped for the 2025 edition. Gone is the previous format which saw the six reigning continental champions compete in a knockout tournament and its place is an expanded 32-team competition that will include a knock-out and group stage.
The teams will be put into eight groups of four, with the top two qualifying for the knockout stage, which will consist of straight knockout matches - much like the format the World Cup has used over the past two decades.
Hosts
Where will the 2025 Club World Cup take place?
The 2025 edition of the tournament will be taking place in the United States, with FIFA selecting the country as a prelude to the 2026 World Cup, which will be help in the USA, plus Canada and Mexico.
Host cities have not been decided, but reports in January 2024 claimed that the tournament will take place on the east coast of the USA, in order to align better with European broadcasters and avoid clashes with the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will take place on the West Coast that summer.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Dates and fixtures
What are the dates for the 2025 Club World Cup?
The tournament will kick-off on June 15, 2025, with the final being played on July 13, 2025.
Qualification
How do teams qualify for the tournament?
There will be 32 teams competing in the tournament, distributed between the international confederations.
Europe will have 12 teams, South America has six, Africa, Asia and the Concacaf region will have four teams each, while Oceania and the host country have one each.
Entrants
Which teams have already qualified?
Real Madrid have qualified (Image credit: Alamy)
A total of 30 of the 32 places have already been filled by the following teams:
Africa: Al Ahly, Wydad, Es Tunus, Mamelodi Sundowns
Asia: Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD FC
Europe:Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, FC Salzburg
Concacaf: Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, Club Leon, Pachuca
Oceania: Auckland City
South America: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, River Plate, Boca Juniors
The remaining two places will consist of the 2024 Libertadores Cup winners, with the final set for November 30, and a team from the host country.
How to watch
How to watch the tournament
FIFA do not yet have a broadcast deal in place. A media rights tender for the Americas, Asia, Middles East and North African markets in July, shortly after reports claimed that talks with Apple over a $1billion global rights deal for the tournament had stalled.
Tickets
How do you get tickets for the tournament?
No ticket details have been issued yet, but fans are able to register their interest on the FIFA website here.
More info
What other information are we waiting for?
The tournament's official logo was unveiled at the start of September, while FIFA also announced that Gala's Freed From Desire will be the tournament's 'audio signature'.
While we wait for the final two qualifiers, the broadcast deal and the host cities, we are also awaiting news of when the draw will take place, while FIFA may have to address criticism that has arisen surrounding the impact of added fixtures, how the tournament will work around the transfer window and also their plans for dealing with multi-club ownership.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
