Why aren’t Liverpool playing in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The draw for the ‘new and improved’ 2025 FIFA Club World Cup takes place on Thursday (December 5), with 32 teams to contest the inaugural event in the United States between June 15 and July 13 next year. But while Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich will be among the expected participants, Premier League leaders Liverpool, like Barcelona, won’t be involved.

The Reds have made a storming start to the season under Arne Slot, allaying fears he would find the much lauded Jürgen Klopp a tough act to follow. Liverpool have built up a significant lead at the top of the Premier League and are also considered one of the favourites to win this season’s Champions League, although they will miss out on the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup regardless.

How did teams qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup?

Qualification for the tournament varies by confederation (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), although clubs either qualified by winning their confederation’s top club competition or due to their ranking within their confederation over the previous four-year period.

Europe provides 12 of the 32 participants, four of which are the winners of the four most recent Champions Leagues (between 2020/21 and 2023/24), while the other eight, in theory, come from the UEFA club rankings. However, because Real Madrid won the Champions League twice in that time, a ninth European club qualified based on their ranking.

Also important to note is that no more than two clubs from the same country are permitted, unless more than two clubs from that country won the Champions League in the last four years (which didn’t happen).

Liverpool’s Club World Cup absence explained

The problem for Liverpool is that two (other) English clubs did win the Champions League, which means there is no room for any more Premier League participants.

The Anfield club won the UCL in 2019/20, a season too early to qualify, and were beaten finalists in 2021/22. Chelsea and Manchester City, on the other hand, were European champions in 2020/21 and 2022/23 respectively and therefore will be taking part in the tournament in the US.

That Liverpool’s club ranking is higher than a number of qualified clubs from other countries (Porto, Atlético Madrid, RB Leipzig, Benfica, Juventus, RB Salzburg) is irrelevant due to the two-clubs-per-country rule, and the fact they haven’t won any of the last four Champions Leagues.

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