Chelsea and Manchester City will feature in the FIFA Club World Cup
Image credit: FIFA Club World Cup
The upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025 has sparked debates among football fans, especially those of Liverpool, who are wondering why their club has been excluded despite leading the Premier League.
Instead, Chelsea and Manchester City will be England’s representatives in the competition. Here’s why.
FIFA’s Two-Club Per Country Rule
In December 2024, the FIFA Council met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to establish the qualification criteria for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
One of the key rules was that only two clubs per country could participate.
This restriction applies unless a country has had more than two different UEFA Champions League winners within the four-year qualification cycle.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, Chelsea (2021) and Manchester City (2023) are the only English teams to have won the Champions League during this period.
The revamped Club World Cup is set to gain global audience
Image credit: OneFootball
While Liverpool are currently dominating the Premier League, the selection criteria are based solely on Champions League success rather than domestic performance.
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Had Liverpool won the Champions League during the qualifying period, they would have secured a spot.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Prize Money Breakdown
For Chelsea and Manchester City, participation in the tournament is not just about prestige but also about the record-breaking prize money on offer.
John Terry with the FIFA Club World Cup trophy.
Image credit: Frank Khalid
FIFA has announced a total prize fund of £775m, of which £407m will be distributed among participating clubs before performance bonuses even kick in.
If Chelsea or Manchester City go all the way and win the competition, they could earn up to £97m in total prize money:
- Group stage win: £1.5m
- Reaching the Round of 16: £5.8m
- Reaching the quarter-finals: £10.2m
- Reaching the semi-finals: £16.3m
- Winning the final: £31m
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This financial incentive makes the FIFA Club World Cup an attractive prospect for both clubs, providing a potential windfall far exceeding typical earnings from domestic competitions.
Liverpool’s Exclusion: A Matter of Timing
Liverpool fans may feel aggrieved by their exclusion, especially since they are leading the Premier League this season.
The new FIFA Club World Cup trophy.
Image credit: iDiski Times
However, their last Champions League victory came in 2019, which falls outside FIFA’s four-year qualification window.
Had Liverpool won another Champions League title between 2021 and 2024, they would have joined Chelsea and Manchester City in the tournament.
But since Real Madrid claimed multiple titles in that period, the two English spots were already filled.
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This means that, unless FIFA revises its selection criteria, Liverpool will have to wait for the next cycle to qualify—or focus on winning the Champions League in the coming seasons to ensure automatic entry.
Final Thoughts
While Liverpool fans may be frustrated, the reality is that qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 was determined by Champions League success, not domestic dominance.
