United States to host the first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in 2025

WASHINGTON, USA

The United States will host the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, in which, for the first time, there will be 32 teams competing, the global football governing body announced on Friday.

"The FIFA Council has unanimously appointed the United States as the host of the new and expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup that is due to take place in 2025," FIFA said in a statement.

"The host selection process took into consideration the infrastructure and service requirements, as well as broader strategic objectives for the tournament," the organization added.

"The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be the pinnacle of elite professional men's club football, and with the required infrastructure in place together with a massive local interest, the United States is the ideal host to kick off this new, global tournament," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. "With some of the world's top clubs already qualified, fans from every continent will be bringing their passion and energy to the United States in two years' time for this significant milestone in our mission to make football truly global."

Manchester City celebrate with the UEFA Champions League trophy after defeating Inter Milan 1-0 in the tournament's final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 10, 2023. /CFP

The U.S. will join hands with Canada and Mexico to host the first 48-team FIFA World Cup in 2026. That is partly why FIFA chose the U.S. as the host for the Club World Cup. The dates, venues and game schedule will be confirmed later after FIFA negotiates with the relevant stakeholders.

So far, there have been 12 clubs qualified for the Club World Cup in 2025 and they are: Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester Cit from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Palmeiras and Flamengo from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), Monterrey, Seattle Sounders and Leon from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) plus Al Ahly and Wydad AC from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The above five confederations in addition to the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) will determine another 19 qualified teams for the Club World Cup on the following criterion:

Flamengo celebrate with the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores trophy after defeating Athletico Paranaense 1-0 in the tournament's final at Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo in Guayaquil, Ecuador, October 29, 2022. /CFP

UEFA (nine slots left): The winner of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League and another eight clubs based on their rankings between 2020-21 and 2023-24;

CONMEBOL (four slots left): The two Copa Libertadores winners in 2023 and 2024 and another two clubs based on their rankings between 2021 and 2024;

CONCACAF (one slot left): The winner of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League;

AFC (two slots left): The winners of the AFC Champions League winners in 2023 and 2024;

CAF (two slots left): The winners of the CAF Champions League in 2023 and 2024;

OFC (one slot left): The highest-ranked club from among the OFC Champions League winners between 2021 and 2024.

As the host country, the U.S. will add a club to the Club World Cup in 2025.