With the dust barely settled on the recently concluded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament that saw Chelsea emerge victorious over PSG in a final held at the iconic MetLife Stadium, attention is already beginning to shift towards the next iteration of the global club competition. While major national team events like the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico naturally capture immediate focus, the architectural plans for the subsequent Club World Cup in 2029 are slowly taking shape.
As of the current briefing, planning is underway for the 2029 edition, slated for the summer months. This aligns with FIFA`s expanded vision for the tournament, moving away from the previous annual format to a quadrennial event featuring a significantly larger pool of participants.
Format Expectations: 32 Teams, or More?
The established framework for the tournament projects a 32-team lineup. This expansion from the previous, smaller format aims to create a more comprehensive and globally representative competition. However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the persistent discussions surrounding a potential further increase in scale. Reports indicate that a contingent of prominent European clubs have voiced interest, perhaps even urging FIFA leadership, to consider expanding the tournament to a 48-team structure. The reasoning, predictably, centres on enhancing the competition`s profile and, subsequently, generating increased revenue through greater commercial interest and prize money – a rather straightforward calculus in modern football economics.
The First Qualified: Who`s Booked Their Spot?
Despite the 2029 tournament being several years away, the qualification process, tied to recent continental championship cycles, has already commenced. While Chelsea, as the 2025 champions, will carry that distinction, their participation in the 2029 event is not automatically guaranteed by that success. Qualification is based on performance in continental tournaments closer to the 2029 date or via specific ranking pathways yet to be fully detailed for future cycles.
Based on results from recent continental championships referenced in preliminary reports, four teams have reportedly secured their berths in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup:
- PSG (France): Qualified as the winners of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.
- Pyramids (Egypt): Secured their spot by winning the 2024-25 CAF Champions League.
- Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia): Entered as champions of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite.
- Cruz Azul (Mexico): Qualified after winning the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
This initial roster showcases early representation from Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America, laying the foundation for the diverse field expected in 2029.
Where Might It Be Played? Host Candidacy
As of now, FIFA has not made an official announcement regarding the host nation or nations for the 2029 Club World Cup. However, several countries have already expressed their interest in staging the event.
Prospective hosts that have publicly signalled their intent include Australia and Brazil. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has also reportedly remained open to the possibility of the United States potentially hosting again, following its role in the 2025 tournament. Furthermore, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, which are set to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, are also considered potential candidates, perhaps leveraging infrastructure and experience gained from hosting preparatory events or the World Cup itself. Qatar, having previously hosted the 2022 World Cup under unique circumstances that necessitated a significant shift in the global football calendar, has also reportedly shown interest. Any decision favouring a host nation where summer conditions are prohibitive would, of course, necessitate a similar disruptive schedule change, a factor FIFA will likely weigh carefully.
In summary, while the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup remains a distant fixture on the calendar, the initial contours of the tournament – a summer timeframe, a likely 32-team format potentially facing expansion debates, the first wave of qualified clubs, and a competitive field of potential hosts – are beginning to emerge, setting the stage for another significant global football spectacle.