Club World Cup: Qualified Teams and Format Explained
The highly anticipated Club World Cup is set to feature teams from each of the six international football confederations, including Asia (AFC), Africa (Caf), North and Central America (Concacaf), South America (Conmebol), Oceania (OFC), and Europe (Uefa). According to a report by the BBC, the tournament will bring together the best clubs from around the world, with a total of 12 European teams qualifying for the competition.
In an article published on the BBC Sport website, it was revealed that the qualified teams were determined by their performances in their respective confederations’ premier club competitions over a four-year period, from 2020-21 to 2023-24. The report stated, "In most cases, winners of the confederations’ equivalent to Uefa’s Champions League over the four seasons from 2020-21 to 2023-24 have qualified." The BBC also noted that in the case of the OFC, the best-performing winner across the four years earned a spot in the tournament.
The European teams that have qualified for the Club World Cup include recent Champions League winners Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Paris-St Germain. However, PSG’s qualification was not a result of winning last month’s Champions League final, but rather through a Uefa ranking system that takes into account clubs’ performances over the four qualifying seasons. The BBC reported that "other European teams have qualified through a Uefa ranking system determined by clubs’ performances over the four qualifying seasons." The report also mentioned that only two clubs per country can feature in the tournament, unless more than two teams from a country win a confederation’s premier club competition in the qualifying period.
One of the teams that have qualified from outside of Europe is Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, who will be known as FC Salzburg due to Fifa sponsorship regulations. The BBC stated that they "have qualified by virtue of being the highest-ranked club across the past four Champions League seasons from a country that does not already have its two spots occupied." The tournament will also feature teams from Asia, Africa, North and Central America, and South America, with the United States being awarded an extra place as hosts.
The distribution of places for each confederation is as follows: 12 places for European clubs, four places each for Asia and Africa, as well as the North and Central American federation, six places for South American clubs, and one place for Oceania. The BBC noted that "there are 12 places for European clubs – the most from one confederation – and these places are decided by clubs’ Champions League performances over the four-year qualifying period."
In a Q&A session with BBC Sport journalists, Nizaar Kinsella and Shamoon Hafez, who will be covering Chelsea and Manchester City respectively, fans will have the opportunity to ask questions about the teams’ aims for the tournament, squad decisions, new signings, opponents, and fan excitement. The BBC is inviting fans to submit their questions on the links provided.
The Club World Cup promises to be an exciting tournament, featuring some of the best teams from around the world. With a diverse range of teams competing, fans can expect to see some thrilling matches and outstanding performances. As the tournament approaches, fans will be eagerly anticipating the start of the competition, and the BBC will be providing comprehensive coverage of all the action.
The qualified teams will compete in the competition with their respective squads, managers and fans eager to make their mark. BBC Sport will provide the latest updates, scores and analysis. As per the BBC, fans can expect an exciting competition.
For all the latest news and updates, fans can visit the BBC Sport website, which will provide in-depth coverage of the Club World Cup, including team profiles, match reports, and expert analysis. With the tournament set to feature some of the biggest names in world football, fans will not want to miss out on the action.
