The definitive guide to the newly expanded quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Explore confederation slot allocations, the 2-clubs-per-nation cap rule, and simulate club qualification odds.
Test whether your club qualifies via continental championship or 4-year ranking points.
| Confederation | Total Slots | Champions Pathway | Ranking Pathway | Confirmed Powerhouses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA (Europe) | 12 Clubs | 4 UCL Winners | 8 Ranking Spots | Real Madrid, Man City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Dortmund |
| CONMEBOL (S. America) | 6 Clubs | 4 Libertadores Winners | 2 Ranking Spots | Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, River Plate, Boca Juniors |
| CONCACAF (N. America) | 4 Clubs | 4 Concacaf Champions | 0 Ranking Spots | Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, Club León, Pachuca |
| CAF (Africa) | 4 Clubs | CAF Champions League | Ranking Spots | Al Ahly SC, Wydad Casablanca, Espérance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns |
| AFC (Asia) | 4 Clubs | AFC Champions League | Ranking Spots | Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 Club | Highest 4-Year OFC | 1 Spot | Auckland City FC |
| Host Country (USA) | 1 Club | Host Allocation | 1 Spot | Inter Miami CF (2024 MLS Supporters' Shield Winners) |
The 32 clubs are seeded into 8 groups of 4 teams each. Each club plays 3 round-robin matches. The top 2 from each group advance directly into the knockout bracket.
From the Round of 16 through the Final, matches are single-leg sudden death with extra time and penalties. There is no bronze-medal 3rd place match.
FIFA designed the quadrennial tournament with unprecedented prize money: up to $50 million participation base fee per elite club and approximately $100 million for the world champion.
The final will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, serving as the ultimate prelude to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at the same venue.
Because of the 2-clubs-per-country cap rule. In England, Chelsea and Manchester City both won the Champions League, filling England's 2-club limit. In Spain, Real Madrid won the Champions League and Atlético Madrid accumulated more 4-year coefficient points than Barcelona.
The 32-team FIFA Club World Cup will take place once every four years, positioned in the summer preceding the FIFA World Cup (e.g. 2025, 2029, 2033).
FIFA replaced the annual mini-tournament with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where the European Champions League winners play a single final match against the winner of play-offs among the other five confederations.