2025 FIFA Club World Cup, USA (first 32-team edition)

[amenina]

CAF (updated after semi-final second legs)

All four teams were decided after TP Mazembe were eliminated.

Qualified teams:
Al Ahly (EGY)
Wydad AC (MAR)
ES Tunis (TUN) - 99 (first place in ranking among non-champions if they do not win CCL)
Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) - 98 (first place in ranking among non-champions)

https://x.com/fifacom/status/1783969826299322616?s=46

Tonight’s @CAF_Online Champions League semi-final results mean @Masandawana and @ESTuniscom have qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025!

@AlAhly's progression to the final means both sides are guaranteed to qualify through their standings in Africa's rankings pathway.

[amenina]

Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis reach Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tourna ... -world-cup

South African and Tunisian clubs become latest teams to secure their places at the global tournament which takes place in the United States.

Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis have become the third and fourth CAF teams to book their tickets to the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™), completing the list of qualifiers from Africa.

With previous winners Al Ahly of Egypt through to the CAF Champions League final once again, both the South African side and the Tunisian outfit are now guaranteed a ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup via the ranking pathway at least.

The new 32-team competition, which will take place in the United States during June and July 2025, features clubs from each of the six confederations competing for the title of world champions.

With four spots at the FIFA Club World Cup for CAF teams, Al Ahly - the winners of the 2020/21 and 2022/23 CAF Champions League - had secured one place, while 2021/22 edition champions Wydad claimed another.

There is still the opportunity for ES Tunis to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup as continental champions, as they will meet Al Ahly in the two-legged CAF Champions League final on 18 May and 25 May.

And in this instance, Mamelodi Sundowns would join them in booking a ticket to the USA next summer via the ranking pathway, despite their semi-final exit, due to their CAF Champions League performances over the past four seasons.

Should Al Ahly win the CAF Champions League – which would be their third continental title over the past four seasons – they would be joined by both Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis at the FIFA Club World Cup via the ranking pathway.

This is because, in the event of a club winning two or more editions of the confederation’s premier club competition during the 2021-2024 period, the ranking pathway will be used to grant access.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ Confederations ranking

https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-rankings/mundial-de-clubes

Clubs that have qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Africa (CAF)
Wydad (Morocco)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
ES Tunis (Tunisia)

Asia (AFC)
Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
Ulsan HD FC (Korea Republic)

Europe (UEFA)
Chelsea (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Inter Milan (Italy)
Porto (Portugal)
Benfica (Portugal)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Juventus (Italy)
Atletico Madrid (Spain)
FC Salzburg (Austria)

North & Central America, Caribbean (Concacaf)
Monterrey (Mexico)
Seattle Sounders (United States)
Club Leon (Mexico)

Oceania (OFC)
Auckland City (New Zealand)

South America (CONMEBOL)
Palmeiras (Brazil)
Flamengo (Brazil)
Fluminense (Brazil)

[amenina]

Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25 race ramps up for Concacaf trio

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tourna ... ca-pachuca

Pachuca, Club America and Columbus Crew head into Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final second legs with FIFA Club World Cup 2025 prospects alive.

Trio know they must win Concacaf title to reach 32-team tournament

The United States will host inaugural edition of the new FIFA Club World Cup

Al Ain and Yokohama F. Marinos set up winner-takes-all final in Asia

Pachuca (MEX), Club America (MEX) and Columbus Crew (USA) continue their bid to be among the 32 teams at the Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™) when the north American trio take to the pitch for their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final second legs this week.

Concacaf (North, Central America and Caribbean)

With Monterrey (MEX) and Club Leon (MEX) already through to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as recent continental champions, both Pachuca and America know that – given the two clubs per country limit, excluding the champions pathway – there is only one route to joining their compatriots in the United States next year and it starts with trying to knock each other out.

The duo head into their Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday locked at 1-1 and aware they have to go on to lift the trophy in the final on 2 June to claim a FIFA Club World Cup 2025 place.

The same goes for Columbus Crew, who meet 2021 champions Monterrey on Wednesday in the other semi-final second leg. The Crew lead 2-1 after the first leg in the US, but need to become Concacaf champions this season to join 2022 continental title-winners and fellow MLS franchise Seattle Sounders (USA) at the tournament next year.

If Monterrey lift the trophy again, then another MLS side, Philadelphia Union (USA), would be the beneficiary and qualify via the ranking pathway.

AFC (Asia)

There is a winner-takes-all AFC Champions League final in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after Al Ain (UAE) and Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) won their semi-final ties.

In addition to being crowned Asian champions, the victor of the two-legged final (1st leg 11 May, return on 25 May) will claim the one remaining place available to AFC teams at the tournament.

They will join former champions Al Hilal (KSA) and Urawa Reds (JPN), as well as the one team qualifying via the ranking pathway, Ulsan HD (KOR), in the tournament in the United States next year.

[amenina]

CONCACAF (updated after semi-final second legs)

Qualified teams:
Monterrey (MEX)
Seattle Sounders (USA)
Leon (MEX)

In contention for remaining spot, will qualify if they win CCC:
Columbus Crew (USA)
Pachuca (MEX)

[amenina]

Crew and Pachuca one step away from Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tourna ... -world-cup

MLS outfit will tackle Mexican side in the Concacaf Champions Cup final with a place at FIFA's new global club tournament up for grabs.

Columbus Crew and Pachuca will meet in the Concacaf Champions Cup final in June knowing that victory will book one of them a place at Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™).

The Crew overcame 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup winners Monterrey 5-2 on aggregate following a dramatic second leg in their semi-final. Leading 2-1 from the first meeting in the USA, the MLS franchise were pegged back when Yevhen Cheberko put the ball into his own net, before goals either side of the interval from Aidan Morris and Diego Rossi put them in control.

Substitute Jacen Russell-Rowe sealed victory in the 89th minute to book the Crew’s first-ever appearance in the Concacaf Champions Cup final, with Monterrey's Maxi Meza issued with a late red card.

They will tackle Mexico’s Pachuca in the continental showpiece following Los Tuzos’ 3-2 aggregate triumph against compatriots Club America.

With the two teams locked together at 1-1 following the first leg, a flurry of early goals in the second encounter at Estadio Hidalgo saw the home side emerge victorious, thanks to efforts in the opening 14 minutes from Miguel Rodriguez and Nelson Deossa, although Henry Martin’s response in the 23rd minute ensured the tie remained on a knife-edge until the final whistle.

The new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place in the United States during June and July 2025, features clubs from each of the six confederations competing for the title of world champions.

Concacaf have four spots available in the tournament, plus an additional spot reserved for a team from the United States as the host country. Monterrey, Seattle Sounders and Club Leon have already qualified after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.

[amenina]

River Plate eye Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25 berth

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tourna ... tournament

Argentinian giants River Plate are looking to become the 27th club to book their place at next years Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25.

River Plate can secure their Mundial de Clubes FIFA berth by winning at Nacional

Boca Juniors remain well placed but face an anxious wait

CONMEBOL Libertadores has reached the halfway point in the group stage

Four-time South American champions River Plate (ARG), one of the giants of Argentinian football, can claim their place at the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™) if they win their next CONMEBOL Libertadores match, away to Club Nacional de Football (URU), on 7 May.

A win for the Millionaires would guarantee them a place via the ranking pathway and make them the first non-Brazilian side from South America to qualify for the 32-team tournament in the United States. Meanwhile, River’s great rivals Boca Juniors (ARG), who are not participating in the CONMEBOL Libertadores this season but still have a good chance of taking the second of the two guaranteed spots available via the ranking pathway, will be watching anxiously from the sidelines.

Brazilian teams have dominated recent editions of the Libertadores with Palmeiras (BRA), Flamengo (BRA), and Fluminense (BRA) winning the last three titles to qualify for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup. They will be joined by the winners of this year’s Libertadores plus the top two teams in the rankings, which are calculated over four seasons. However, should one of those three win again this season, then a third ranking place would open up for a non-Brazilian team.

The Libertadores group stage is currently at the halfway mark with 32 teams still theoretically in the running for the title although several could be eliminated during the coming days.

River Plate (76 pts), six-time South American champions Boca Juniors (71) and three-time champions Club Olimpia (PAR) (57) currently lead the rankings with another 40 points available – 12 by progressing through the stages and 28 in matches. They are followed by Nacional 49, Independiente del Valle (ECU) 45, Club Cerro Porteno (PAR) 44, Barcelona SC (ECU) 42, Club Bolivar (Bol) 36, Estudiantes (ARG) 34, Talleres (ARG) 34, The Strongest (BOL) 34 and Club Libertad (PAR) 33. Olimpia, like Boca, are not taking part this season.

If Martin Demichelis’ River Plate overcome Nacional, themselves three-time Libertadores winners, in Group H, they will earn six more points – three for the win and three for reaching the next round – which would guarantee them a top-two finish in the ranking. River previously won the Intercontinental Cup in 1986 and reached the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2015.

Away from South America, the 12 European and four African slots have already been claimed while the fourth and final Asian place will go to the winners of the AFC Champions League between Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) and Al Ain FC (UAE), with the first leg in Japan on 11 May and the return in the United Arab Emirates on 25 May.

The last remaining of the four Concacaf places will similarly go to the winners of this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup, with the single-leg final between Pachuca (MEX) and Columbus Crew (USA) on 1 June. Oceania’s representative at next year’s tournament will be Auckland City FC (NZL), a club that has performed consistently well in the OFC Champions League throughout the qualification cycle.

The final place in the tournament will go to a club from the host nation.

[matt]

"Players tell FIFA: move 32-team World Cup or we'll take legal actions"

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fifa ... -jgbqmcq86

[amenina]

CONMEBOL (updated after group stage round 4)

Qualified teams:
Palmeiras (BRA)
Flamengo (BRA)
Fluminense (BRA)

The maximum a team can still win in the rest of tournament without winning the title is 37 points (25 match points + 12 bonus points).

In contention for remaining three spots:

River Plate (ARG) - 77
Boca Juniors (ARG) - 71 (not competing in 2024)
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Olimpia (PAR) - 57 (not competing in 2024)
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Nacional (URU) - 50
Cerro Porteno (PAR) - 45
Independiente del Valle (ECU) - 45
Bolivar (BOL) - 37
Talleres (ARG) - 37
The Strongest (BOL) - 37
Estudiantes (ARG) - 34
Libertad (PAR) - 34
Colo-Colo (CHI) - 26
Deportivo Tachira (VEN) - 26
Junior (COL) - 19 (must win title to qualify)
Penarol (URU) - 19 (must win title to qualify)
LDU Quito (ECU) - 18 (must win title to qualify)
Alianza Lima (PER) - 17 (must win title to qualify)
Universitario (PER) - 15 (must win title to qualify)
Liverpool (URU) - 14 (must win title to qualify)
Caracas (VEN) - 13 (must win title to qualify)
Palestino (CHI) - 9 (must win title to qualify)
Huachipato (CHI) - 8 (must win title to qualify)
Rosario Central (ARG) - 7 (must win title to qualify)
San Lorenzo (ARG) - 7 (must win title to qualify)
Millonarios (COL) - 5 (must win title to qualify)
Atletico Mineiro (BRA) - (must win title to qualify)
Botafogo (BRA) - (must win title to qualify)
Gremio (BRA) - (must win title to qualify)
Sao Paulo (BRA) - (must win title to qualify)

[amenina]

"Players tell FIFA: move 32-team World Cup or we'll take legal actions"

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fifa ... -jgbqmcq86

This article is behind a paywall. Here are two related articles on BBC:

Fifa faces legal threat over congested calendar

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... d8lz182vzo

Fifa defends Club World Cup schedule

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... x85j2nr41o

[amenina]

Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ place in sight for River Plate

https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tourna ... qualifying

Argentine giants need to avoid defeat in upcoming CONMEBOL Libertadores group-stage game to reach inaugural tournament in the United States.

Buenos Aires side aiming to secure place at 32-team tournament next year

Check out the latest CONMEBOL confederation rankings

Yokohama F. Marinos have edge in AFC Champions League final

River Plate are within 90 minutes of clinching a place at the inaugural Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™) as the Argentine giants continue their CONMEBOL Libertadores challenge, while Yokohama F. Marinos have the edge in the race to claim the fourth and final qualifying place from Asia.

South America

River go into their fifth game of the Libertadores group stage on Tuesday knowing they will secure their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 place if they win or draw against Paraguayan opponents Libertad.

Even if the Buenos Aires club were to lose, anything but a win for Uruguayan rivals Nacional at Deportivo Tachira (VEN) the following day would send River through too. As Nacional play Libertad in the final round of group games, it means both teams cannot prevent River pocketing the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 qualifying points for progressing to the CONMEBOL Libertadores knockout stages.

As things stand ahead of Matchday 5, several other South American teams still have the opportunity to be one of the 32 clubs at the inaugural tournament in the United States next year, with one place open to the winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores and two via the ranking pathway, or three if there is a repeat winner from the last three seasons.

A maximum 37 points are now available to non-champions: 12 by reaching the various knockout phase rounds, 25 in matches.

This means:

All non-Brazilian teams still in the competition currently with 20 points or more can qualify via the ranking BUT ONLY if one of the Brazilian trio of former champions, Palmeiras, Flamengo or Fluminense, win the 2024 Libertadores, as they have already qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. This would open up a third rankings pathway spot, and teams could overtake Club Olimpia (PAR, 57 points), who are not in this season’s CONMEBOL Libertadores.

All non-Brazilian teams with 34 points or more can overtake Boca Juniors (ARG, 71 points), who are not active this season, for the guaranteed second qualifying spot.

All non-Brazilian teams with 40 points or more can still overtake River Plate (ARG, 77 points), who are active this season.

Asia

Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) edged towards winning the 2023/24 AFC Champions League and securing a place at the FIFA World Cup 2025 as this year’s Asian champions thanks to a 2-1 first-leg win in the final over Al Ain (UAE) in Japan.

If Yokohama lift the trophy, it will be the club’s first continental crown. Al Ain won their only Asian title to date in 2003.

Whichever team wins the 2023/24 title, they will take the last of Asia’s four slots for the tournament. The other three are filled by: Al Hilal (KSA, 2021 AFC Champions League winners), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN, 2022 AFC Champions League winners) and Ulsan HD (KOR, via the ranking pathway)

The second leg will be played in the United Arab Emirates on 25 May.