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UPDATED: Arguments As FIFA Tracks Club’s Progress For 2025 Club World Cup
FIFA has launched a new online tool that lets fans keep track of their favourite clubs’ progress as they strive to qualify for the first-ever 2025 Club World Cup, officially the Mundial de Clubes FIFA 25.
Sportxparte understands that this tool is not just for fans, but also for media and others interested in following the journey of the 32 teams that will compete in the tournament in the United States.
The main page of the tool lists all the teams that have already qualified for the tournament either by winning their continental championships or through the ranking pathway.
Separate sections are also dedicated to each of FIFA‘s six confederations, giving users a detailed look at how clubs in each region are doing in the qualifying process.
In addition to showing which clubs have qualified, the tool explains how clubs can qualify, the number of available slots, the criteria for qualification in each confederation, and other interesting details about the competition.
Qualification mechanism:
3 points for a win
1 point for a draw
3 points for progress to each stage of the competition
In the case of European clubs, given that three full seasons and a full group stage of the fourth season of the UEFA Champions League have already been completed, and since UEFA has an existing club coefficient system, the pre-existing methodology principles to calculate the UEFA club coefficient about matches in the UEFA Champions League only will be exceptionally applied to determine the ranking of European clubs for the Mundial de Clubes FIFA™.
The approved methodology for the ranking of European teams is, therefore as follows:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
- 4 points for qualification for the group stage
- 5 points for qualification for the round of 16
- 1 point for progress to each stage of the competition thereafter
Available slots
- AFC: 4
- CAF: 4
- Concacaf: 4
- CONMEBOL: 6
- OFC: 1
- UEFA: 12
- Host country: 1
Qualification criteria
- Confederations with more than 4 slots
- Champions of the confederation’s relevant premier club competition
- Clubs with the best Ranking within the Confederation
Confederations with 4 slots
- Champions of the confederation’s relevant premier club competition
- Only if there are repeated champions of the confederation’s relevant premier club competition, clubs with the best Ranking within the Confederation
Confederations with slots less than 4 slots
- Clubs with the best Ranking within the Confederation among the champions of the Confederation’s relevant premier club competition
Additional criteria
- The access list is limited to two clubs per country, with the exception of cases in which more than two clubs from the same country win the confederation’s premier club competition over four years.
- Host country slot allocation details will be communicated in due course
In case of a tie, the criteria are:
1. Best individual result achieved during the qualifying period.
2. Most recent best result
3. Best goal difference
4. Most goals scored
The clubs that have already qualified for the first edition of the FIFA Club’s World Cup are the following:
𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
Al Ahly SC (Egypt)
𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀
Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia)
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄
Chelsea (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
FC Bayern München (Germany)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
FC Internazionale Milano (Italy)
FC Porto (Portugal)
SL Benfica (Portugal)
𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇/𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀
CF Monterrey (Mexico)
Seattle Sounders FC (United States)
Club León (Mexico)
𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀
Auckland City FC (New Zealand)
𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀
SE Palmeiras (Brazil)
CR Flamengo (Brazil)
Fluminense FC (Brazil)
Cub World Cup: Arguments By Premier League Bigwigs
The World Leagues Forum, run by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, recently complained to FIFA about not being consulted over its expanded Club World Cup.
In a forthright letter sent to FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Sunday, the group’s 44 members, which includes the Premier League, accused the governing body of consistently prioritizing its interests.
It was also conveyed that FIFA refuses to consider the interests of the national competitions as it continues to overload the footballing calendar, and serious concerns over the impact on player welfare were reiterated.
Masters acts as chair of the Forum, and the group’s sentiments echo those of the PFA and FIFPro, who criticized FIFA’s announcement this week of a new 32-club tournament in the summer of 2025.
FIFPro has been working closely with the World Leagues Forum on the match-calendar issue, and concerns were discussed at the Forum’s AGM earlier this year.
There, the board emphasized that “the constant growth in the volume of international club and national team matches is unsustainable for player welfare and for the scheduling of domestic football”.
They also pledged to develop a response that is in the best interests of the game’s future. If their concerns continue to go unheard, they are likely to intensify their resistance to FIFA’s plans.
The European Club Association, which represents the interests of a group of elite clubs, including 2025 Club World Cup competitors Manchester City and Chelsea, “warmly welcomed” the announcement, stating it was “fantastic news” for club football in general.
City boss Pep Guardiola also confirmed during an interview in March 2024 that “the clubs supported it”, but he also warned the “lack of recovery from year-to-year… is tough for the players” and “things should change”.
Manchester City and Chelsea will play up to seven extra games within four weeks in the USA, at the height of summer, with the final being staged just three weeks before the start of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
The World Leagues Forum represents the interests of 44 leagues across the entire globe, including LaLiga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A, and also the professional league in Saudi Arabia, where FIFA this week announced its plans for the tournament’s expansion ahead of this month’s Club World Cup.
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Harry Kane To Miss Bayern Final Match Due To Back Injury
Bayern Munich will be without their forward Harry Kane for their final Bundesliga game due to a back injury, confirmed manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of Saturday’s match against Hoffenheim.
Kane had been struggling with back problems leading up to the second leg of Bayern’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid last week, but he decided to push through the pain and play.
The injury setbacks for the England captain have surfaced just weeks before the start of the European Championship on June 14 in Germany.
“Harry is in medical treatment with his doctor. He can’t travel with us” to Hoffenheim, Tuchel told reporters on Friday. “It was already questionable in Madrid, as you might have noticed. We tried it with injections and therapy, but his back was cramping. It got even worse and he could feel it in everyday movements. There was no chance for him to even train.”
In the Euros, England has been drawn into a group alongside Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia. Coach Gareth Southgate is set to announce his preliminary squad for the tournament on Tuesday.
Kane, who sat out Bayern’s recent league match against Wolfsburg due to injury, has netted a total of 44 goals in all competitions during his debut season at the German club. This tally includes four hat tricks in the Bundesliga.
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Arne Slot Confirms He Is Taking Liverpool Job Next Season
Feyenoord coach, Arne Slot, has confirmed that he will be taking over as the manager of Liverpool next season following Jurgen Klopp’s departure from the Premier League club at the end of the current campaign.
“I can confirm that I will become the trainer there next year,” Slot told a news conference, according to ESPN.
Feyenoord confirmed Slot’s departure, posting a video on X saying: “The Arne Slot era is coming to an end. Let’s enjoy the last moments.”
Liverpool have not yet announced Klopp’s successor, as the German manager will depart after the team’s last match of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
Slot, who has been in charge of the Dutch club since 2021, secured the Eredivisie league championship in 2022-23 and claimed the KNVB Cup this season. Additionally, Feyenoord made it to the final of the Europa Conference League in his debut season with the club.
In January, Jurgen Klopp revealed his decision to depart Liverpool after this season. While Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso and Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim were previously rumored as potential candidates, Slot is now assured to assume the managerial role.
Having extended his contract with Feyenoord until 2026 after the previous season, reports suggest that Liverpool will need to compensate the Dutch club with an undisclosed fee to secure Slot’s services.
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Southampton Secures Play-Off Final Spot With Victory Over West Brom
Southampton emerged victorious against West Bromwich Albion with a convincing 3-1 win at St. Mary’s Stadium, booking their place in the Championship play-off final. The Saints continued their dominance over the Baggies, having also triumphed in both matches during the regular season.
The match started with Southampton applying relentless pressure on West Brom, with Flynn Downes leading the charge in front of a passionate home crowd. Despite West Brom’s attempts to slow down the game, Southampton remained patient and composed, moving the ball well and creating opportunities.
The breakthrough came in the second half when Grady Diangana’s poor pass was cut out by Will Smallbone who laid the ball off to Brooks and got it back before firing past Alex Palmer. Southampton’s lead was further extended by Adam Armstrong, who displayed his clinical finishing with a precise strike into the bottom corner.
West Brom fought back, with Darnell Furlong testing Southampton’s goalkeeper Alex McCarthy with a powerful shot. However, it was Southampton who capitalized on a late penalty opportunity, with Armstrong calmly converting to seal the victory and a historic place in the play-off final.
The match saw moments of brilliance from both sides, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis making a crucial defensive intervention for Southampton and Cédric Kipré scoring a late consolation goal for West Brom. Despite their efforts, West Brom fell short, leaving them to contemplate another season in the Championship.
For Southampton, this victory marks a significant milestone as they set their sights on an immediate return to the Premier League. With the play-off final at Wembley Stadium looming, the Saints will be eager to seize this opportunity and secure their place in the top flight.
