**FIFA Club World Cup 2025: New Format Explained, English Clubs, and Where to Watch**
As the regular football season wraps up for another year, focus now shifts to a significantly revamped edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, being hosted across the United States this summer. Traditionally an end-of-year showpiece between champions of the world’s footballing continents, the tournament for 2025 marks a radical departure both in format and scale, promising a month-long festival of elite club football infused with fresh intrigue and record financial incentives.
Originating in 2000 as the FIFA Club World Championship, the competition has seen various iterations over the years. Since 2005, it has been held annually with a concise, seven-team structure. This year, however, football’s governing body has expanded the field to 32 clubs, drawing significant parallels with the men’s World Cup format. Another major alteration is the tournament’s frequency: no longer annual, the Club World Cup will now take place every four years.
The revamped competition features clubs from 20 countries stretched across FIFA’s six confederations: Europe, South America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The qualifying criteria focus heavily on continental glory, with most entrants earning their place by winning their region’s equivalent of the Champions League between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons. Europe, as the most powerful confederation, fields 12 representatives, while hosts USA receive a direct berth, awarded to Inter Miami following their successful MLS campaign in 2024.
Leading world superstars such as Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Thomas Müller, and Harry Kane are set to take part, ensuring global interest and high-stakes matches. Interestingly, various tournaments have also thrown semi-professional outfits into the mix, giving underdogs the chance to face off against football royalty.
Despite their status as established European giants, Liverpool find themselves absent from this year’s edition. The reasoning traces back to FIFA’s regulations capping the number of clubs per country at two. For England, that privilege lands with Chelsea and Manchester City, recent Champions League victors in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Liverpool, along with other prominent sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United, thus miss out despite their strong domestic and European records during the qualifying window.
The group stage sees eight groups of four teams each, with clubs competing in a round-robin format before advancing to knockout rounds. This structure ensures an extensive calendar—63 matches over nearly a month’s play—granting viewers a feast of world-class club football throughout the American summer.
Financially, the tournament is unprecedented: a total prize pot approaching £775 million will be divided amongst the 32 competing sides. Group stage victories come with a bonus of £1.5 million, and the ultimate champions could walk away with up to £97 million. The final, scheduled for 13th July, will see the winner alone secure £30 million for that result.
Fans in the United Kingdom will be able to follow the action predominantly via DAZN, a streaming platform offering comprehensive tournament coverage. In addition, select fixtures—including those involving Chelsea, Manchester City, and Real Madrid—will be broadcast free-to-air on Channel 5, covering 23 crucial matches including highlights of the group stages, several knockout ties, and the final itself.
This new-look Club World Cup is set not only to deepen the allure of the world’s club game but also provide a unique opportunity for football players and fans alike, blending established powers with international rivals rarely seen in direct competition. As the fixtures begin, all eyes will be firmly fixed on the United States, awaiting fresh narratives and potential upsets in this latest chapter of global football.