The FIFA Council, meeting in Jeddah, agreed on the details of the Club World Cup with the participation of 32 teams, which will be held in the United States in 2025, and in which Real Madrid will guarantee its presence as the winner of the 2021/22 European Champions League. The rest of the ambitious Spanish teams will have to get one of the remaining places through classificationIn addition to the creation of a new Intercontinental Cup starting in 2024.
FIFA said on Sunday that the tournament will be held from June 15 to July 13, and that the format, as well as the classification methodology “based on sporting criteria”, has been approved for the participation of teams from the six continental confederations.
“With the aim of ensuring the highest possible quality based on sporting standards in the last four seasons, starting from the group stage of the highest club competition in the relevant continental association, and encouraging the outcome of each match in the respective tournament, the following: A new standard classification methodology has been approved: 3 points for each win. 1 point for a tie; 3 points for advancement in each stage of the competition.
FIFA specifies that in the case of European clubs, since three seasons and one group stage of the fourth season of the Champions League have been completed, “and since UEFA has the current club coefficient system, the current pre-existing methodological principles for the calculation” and notes that The European Clubs Factor regarding Champions League matches will only be applied exceptionally to determine the qualification of European clubs for the 2025 Club World Cup.”
Accordingly, according to the methodology adopted to classify European teams, they are as follows: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 4 points for qualifying for the group stage, 5 points for qualifying for the round of 16, and 4 points for qualifying for the round of 16. One point for passing to each of the following stages of the competition.
According to the approved access principles and the results of the respective continental club competitions, the following clubs are already guaranteed their attendance:
– Africa (4 teams): Through the champions, champions: Al-Ahly (Egypt) (champion of 2020/21 and 2022/23), Wydad (Morocco) (2021/22) and the winner of the 2023/24 edition. via classification (1): Certain.
– Asia (4 teams): Via champions: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) (2021), Urawa Red Diamonds (2022) and the winner of the 2023/24 edition. via classification (1): Certain.
– Europe (12 teams): Champions: Chelsea (England) (2020/21), Real Madrid (2021/22), Manchester City (2022/23) and the champion of the 2023/24 edition. via classification (8): Bayern Munich (Germany), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Inter Milan (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Benfica (Portugal) and three teams to be confirmed.
– CONCACAF (4 teams): Via champions: Monterrey (Mexico) (2021), Seattle Sounders (USA) (2022), Leon (Mexico) (2023) and the winner of the 2024 edition.
– Oceania (1 team: Auckland City (New Zealand))
– South America (6 teams): Villa Libertadores: Palmeiras (Brazil) (2021), Flamengo (Brazil (2022), Fluminense (Brazil) (2023) and the winner of the 2024 edition. classification: Two teams will be confirmed.
According to FIFA, the dates have been set so that the tournament adapts to the international match calendar and that there is sufficient time between the final match and the start of the next season in many national leagues, in addition to taking into account guarantees – a rest of at least three days between matches in order to preserve the health of the players.
The group stage will consist of eight groups of four teams, which will play in a league system. The top two qualify for the round of 16, where the qualifiers start from one match until the final. There will be no struggle for third place.
FIFA President, Swiss Gianni Infantino, stressed that “it will be an open competition based on sporting merit and will play a major role as part of the efforts to make football truly global.”
“Clubs play an essential role in world football and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be an important milestone in providing a suitable platform for clubs from all continents to shine at the highest level of the beautiful game,” the FIFA President said. Who also confirmed that, as approved by the Council in March 2023, an annual club tournament will be held from 2024, which will be renamed the Intercontinental Cup, like the old tournament in which the European and South American champions met.
This cup will feature the participation of the champions of the club competitions from the main associations and will conclude with a final match at a neutral venue between the winner of the Champions League and the winner of the intercontinental tie between clubs from other associations.
The first stage of the new Intercontinental Cup will consist of two rounds. In the first, alternately, the champion of Asia or Africa will receive the champion of Oceania. The winners will go on to compete against AFC or CAF representatives.
In the first edition, the AFC or African Confederation team will be determined in the first round by lottery. The organizing rights for that initial encounter will be shared between them, with each playing a match in its home stadium. From then on they will rotate every year.
In the second stage, the CONCACAF champion will face the Copa Libertadores winner in one match. The host will be determined by lottery and hosting rights will rotate every year thereafter.
The winners of the previous two stages will face the winner of the European champions in the previous days, in the same neutral venue where the final was held.
The dates for the first stage will be determined after consultation with the clubs, with the penultimate round being held on December 14 and the final on the 18th. (Dr)
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