Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, has announced the introduction of a new and expanded Club World Cup.
It is believed that the game’s international governing body wants the competition, which will now feature 32 of “the greatest teams in the world,” to compete with the UEFA Champions League.
There are currently just seven teams in the Club World Cup, and they are made up of the champions of each federation’s top competition. Chelsea, which defeated Brazilian team Palmeiras in the championship match in February, is still the tournament’s defending champion.
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The expansion, which was originally scheduled for 2021 in China before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, will start in 2025. A Club World Cup will also be introduced to the women’s game.
Who is eligible to play in the Club World Cup?
Since 2012, competitors have qualified by taking first place in their national federations’ primary continental cup competition.
Along with the domestic League champions of the hosting country, participants include the winners of the UEFA Champions League, AFC Champions League, Copa Libertadores, CAF Champions League, CONCACAF Champions League, and OFC Champions League.
What kind of rules does the Club World Cup have?
Every year, usually in the winter months of the Northern Hemisphere, the Club World Cup is held.
It has been held in Brazil, Japan, Qatar, and the UAE since it began in 2000. The following iteration will take place in Morocco.
The Club World Cup typically follows a straight elimination format and lasts two weeks or less.
First Round (Game 1)
A playoff game between the OFC winners and the domestic League champions of the host nation.
Second Round (Quarter-finals)
The winners of Game 1 meet the winners of the AFC Champions League, CONCACAF Champions League and the CAF Champions League. Four games with two winners progressing.
Semi-finals
The winners of the two quarter-finals are drawn against the winners of the Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League. Again, four games with two winners progressing.
Final
The winners of the semi-finals meet to determine who wins the Club World Cup.
Fifth-placed playoff
The losers of the quarter-finals fight for fifth place.
Third-placed playoff
The losers of the semi-finals fight for third place.
What alterations will the Club World Cup see?
Infantino made the announcement that the competition would be enlarged to include 32 of the “best teams in the world” before the World Cup final in Qatar.
Accordingly, the 32 top teams in the world will compete in the new men’s Club World Cup in 2025, he stated.
“Of course, those specifics still need to be worked out and agreed upon, but the 32-team event will still take place, making it truly comparable to the World Cup.”