The Club World Cup: new format, new history, new heroes

The summer of 2025 is expected to be a historic stage for clubs hungry for victory, full of innovations in the world of football. The Club World Cup, which will be completely reformed by FIFA and held in a new format, will be held with the participation of 32 teams this time. This is the first time in history that a competition of this scale has been held, and 12 modern stadiums in the United States will host this championship.

Revised format - a unique ideology for the World Cup

If in the previous tournament a total of 7 teams participated and 7 matches were played in 11 days, now the situation has completely changed. The new format is based on the successful system of the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League. That is, 32 teams will be divided into 8 groups of 4. Each team will play its opponents in the group once. The first and second place teams in the group will advance to the next stage - the playoffs.

In the event of a draw, the winner will be determined in extra time or penalties. The competition will last a full 29 days - a real feast for football fans.

Championship schedule and venue

The competition will kick off on June 14, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with the opening match between Al Ahly and Inter Miami. The final will be held on July 13 at the MetLife Arena in New Jersey.

How do you qualify?

There are two ways to participate in the competition:

1. Automatic qualification: Teams that have won a continental championship in the last four seasons (e.g. UEFA Champions League, Libertadores, etc.).

2. Ranking: Teams selected based on points accumulated based on their performance in continental competitions over the past four years.

UEFA has 12 places, CONMEBOL has 6, CONCACAF and CAF have 4 each, AFC has 2, and Oceania has 1. Each country can have a maximum of 2 clubs. However, there are exceptions due to the "championship" - for example, Brazil will have 4 teams.

As a result of filling the UEFA quota, top clubs such as Barcelona, Milan, Sevilla, Liverpool, RB Leipzig were excluded from the tournament. Some of them have not won the European Champions League or were low in the ranking. One such example is Benfica, Juventus and RB Salzburg, which qualified due to their high ranking.

New cup - a symbol of pride and glory

According to FIFA, the new cup is covered with 24-carat gold, and on both sides there are inscriptions and patterns reflecting the history of world football. The trophy features the names of all 211 FIFA member associations and 6 confederations, a world map, stadium symbols, and football equipment. In the center of the trophy is a unique inscription in English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, and 7 other languages. It reads:

“For those who win this trophy, history is yours! You are at the pinnacle of football - you have witnessed a moment that is few and far between, but the whole world will recognize.”

The trophy will be laser-engraved with the winners’ logos, and the shield-shaped base will have an orbital structure, to which you can add as many club logos as you like.

In conclusion, it can be said that the 2025 Club World Cup in this updated format will usher in a new era in the world of football. It will be an unforgettable event not only for the teams, but also for billions of fans.