Football
The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup takes place in the United States from 15 June to 13 July 2025; 22 teams have already qualified including English clubs Manchester City and Chelsea; Liverpool and Manchester United cannot qualify, while Arsenal will also now miss out
Wednesday 17 April 2024 23:12, UK
Arsenal will not play in the Club World Cup after crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stages.
Mikel Arteta’s side lost 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-0 loss away to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
Following Arsenal’s loss, FC Salzburg became the 12th and final European club to join the competition, which will be held in the United States in the summer of 2025.
Salzburg join the winners of the Champions League over the last three seasons – Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea – as well as Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus, who have qualified based on their Champions League performances over the past four seasons, including the current campaign.
FC Salzburg have qualified despite being ranked below the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and AC Milan because FIFA limits countries to two entries unless they have more than two continental champions.
The tournament will be without Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and AC Milan plus Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
Three Brazilian teams – Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense – have qualified as Copa Libertadores winners since 2021. Argentina’s storied rivals River Plate and Boca Juniors are likely to qualify as high-ranked teams in South America’s quota of six entries.
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Seattle Sounders and Mexican sides Club Leon and Monterrey will be joined by another team from the CONCACAF region. Another US-based team should qualify as part of a Club World Cup tradition to include the host nation’s champion.
In Asia, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds have qualified. Al Ahly of Egypt and Wydad of Morocco have qualified from Africa and Auckland City of New Zealand will represent Oceania.
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