FIFA to raise limit of teams per country in Club World Cup

FIFA is planning to increase the maximum number of clubs from each country to three in the next edition of the Club World Cup, with the goal of preventing major sides like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Napoli from missing out again.

Current Format Leaves Big Clubs Out

The latest Club World Cup highlighted flaws in the qualification system, which is based on UEFA coefficients and recent Champions League winners. Despite Liverpool boasting a better coefficient than both Chelsea and Manchester City, the Reds missed out, while the latter qualified as Champions League winners in 2021 and 2023.

No Expansion Beyond 32 Teams—for Now

Although the idea of raising the country cap is gaining traction, FIFA still faces resistance on expanding the tournament from 32 teams. According to The Times, UEFA strongly opposes FIFA’s long-term ambition of growing the event to 48 teams and staging it every two years.

Discussions With UEFA and ECA Ahead

FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani confirmed in London that talks will take place with UEFA and the European Club Association regarding the future of the competition. He emphasized that FIFA wants to build on the “great success” of the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, where Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

2029 Host Yet to Be Announced

The new rules are expected to take effect in the 2029 tournament, though the host nation has not yet been determined. Increasing the team cap to three per country could prevent powerhouse clubs from being side-lined in future editions.