The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to be the largest in history, showcasing 32 elite clubs competing in the United States. With an expanded format, the tournament promises a month filled with exceptional football. However, many fans were taken aback to see Salzburg qualify as one of the European representatives, while some renowned clubs fell short. How did this come to be?
How did Salzburg secure their place among the world’s finest teams? A look at the 2025 qualification and FIFA rankings.
Of the 32 teams that qualified, 12 hail from Europe, including the champions of the last four UEFA Champions League finals — with Real Madrid making the list twice due to their back-to-back victories.
The remaining teams secured their spots based on UEFA rankings. However, the Club World Cup imposes a limit allowing only two teams per European nation. This allowed the Austrian club, Salzburg, to qualify as they were ranked 18th. Notably, Salzburg has reached the Champions League knockout stage only once and has been eliminated in the first round of the Europa League on two occasions.
Nevertheless, Salzburg has consistently made it to the group stage (now termed league phase) of the Champions League, having clinched the Austrian Bundesliga title 14 times out of the last 18 seasons. They enjoyed a remarkable run of 10 consecutive titles until finishing second to Sturm Graz last season.
Meanwhile, the prestigious tournament will see Barcelona miss out, with their ranking falling short against Real Madrid and Atlético, who took the two LaLiga slots. English clubs Arsenal and Liverpool also failed to qualify, leaving the Premier League represented by Manchester City and Chelsea, both of whom have recently claimed the Champions League title.
While Lionel Messi will be a standout at the Club World Cup with Inter Miami, his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo will not be participating. His club Al Nassr did not qualify, as the only spot for Saudi teams was awarded to Al Hilal, the current league champions.
What is the final lineup of qualified teams for the Club World Cup 2025?
Group A: Porto, Palmeiras, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: PSG, Atlético Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, Benfica, Auckland
Group D: Chelsea, Flamengo, Esperance Tunis, Club Leon
Group E: Inter, River Plate, Urawa Reds, Monterrey
Group F: Dortmund, Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ulsan
Group G: Manchester City, Juventus, Al Ain, Wydad
Group H: Salzburg, Real Madrid, Pachuca, Al Hilal
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage:Â SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
