Why Arsenal, Liverpool & Man Utd are not playing in the Club World Cup

They will be joined by top sides including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid.

Ahead of the first match between Al Ahly and Inter Miami, here’s why Arsenal, United, and Liverpool won’t be taking part in the 2025 Club World Cup.

Liverpool may be the current Premier League champions, but they, along with runners-up Arsenal, have not qualified for the competition.

Manchester United, despite their struggles during the 2024-25 season, remain one of the biggest clubs in England but also failed to secure a place in the tournament.

Their absence is due to FIFA’s qualification system, which grants only 12 of the 32 available spots to European teams, based on Champions League performances between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons.

Under FIFA rules, the Champions League winners from the past four seasons receive automatic qualification. Chelsea and Manchester City secured their places by winning the competition in 2021 and 2023, while Real Madrid claimed the trophy in 2022 and 2024.

The remaining nine European spots are determined by UEFA rankings, and while Liverpool did well enough to earn qualification, a rule limiting each country to two representatives means they were left out as Chelsea and City took England’s places.

An exception is granted if more than two clubs from the same nation have won the Champions League during the qualification period. The United States, for example, has three teams in this year’s Club World Cup as the host nation.

Since the tournament’s inception in 2000, four Premier League clubs have been crowned champions, but Arsenal have never participated, as they have never won the Champions League.

Before the Club World Cup expanded in 2025, it featured only seven teams, with a single European representative—usually the reigning Champions League winner.

Manchester United became the first English club to win the competition in 2008, defeating LDU Quito in the final.

Liverpool followed in 2019 by overcoming Flamengo, while Chelsea triumphed in 2021 against Palmeiras.

With no tournament held last year, Manchester City remains the reigning champion after their emphatic 4-0 victory over Fluminense in the 2023 final.

Arsenal’s absence from the Club World Cup continues due to their lack of Champions League success, meaning they have yet to take part in the tournament.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Teams and Groups

Group A
Palmeiras – Champions of the 2021 Copa Libertadores
Porto – Ranked fifth among eligible UEFA teams over four years
Al Ahly – Winners of the 2020/21 CAF Champions League
Inter Miami – Secured qualification as winners of the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield

Group B
Paris Saint-Germain – Ranked second among eligible UEFA teams over four years
Atletico Madrid – Sixth-best ranked UEFA team based on the four-year coefficient
Botafogo – Claimed the 2024 Copa Libertadores title
Seattle Sounders – Winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League

Group C
Bayern Munich – Top-ranked eligible UEFA team over four years
Auckland City – Highest-ranked OFC Champions League winner in the regional ranking
Boca Juniors – Second-best ranked eligible CONMEBOL team over four years
Benfica – Ranked seventh among eligible UEFA teams in the four-year system

Group D
Flamengo – Champions of the 2022 Copa Libertadores
Esperance de Tunis – Best-ranked eligible CAF team over four years
Chelsea – Won the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
Los Angeles FC – Qualified through the play-in match

Group E
River Plate – Highest-ranked eligible CONMEBOL team over four years
Urawa Red Diamonds – Champions of the 2022 AFC Champions League
Monterrey – Secured qualification by winning the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League
Inter Milan – Ranked fourth among eligible UEFA teams based on the four-year ranking

Group F
Fluminense – Winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores
Borussia Dortmund – Third-best ranked UEFA team over four years
Ulsan HD – Top-ranked eligible AFC team in the four-year coefficient system
Mamelodi Sundowns – Ranked second among eligible CAF teams over four years

Group G
Manchester City – Champions of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
Wydad AC – Winners of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League
Al Ain – Secured qualification as champions of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League
Juventus – Ranked eighth among eligible UEFA teams in the four-year ranking

Group H
Real Madrid – Winners of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League
Al Hilal – Claimed the 2021 AFC Champions League title
Pachuca – Secured a spot by winning the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League
Red Bull Salzburg – Ranked ninth among eligible UEFA teams over four years