Barcelona is not participating in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup primarily due to their insufficient performance in European competitions during the designated qualification period. Their recent results in the UEFA Champions League did not meet the criteria required to secure a spot in the expanded global tournament.
Understanding Club World Cup Qualification
The expanded FIFA Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams, has specific qualification pathways for clubs from each confederation. For European teams (UEFA), there are generally two main routes to secure a spot for the 2025 edition:
- Champions League Winners: Clubs that win the UEFA Champions League in the four seasons leading up to the tournament (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24) automatically qualify.
- UEFA Coefficient Ranking: The remaining spots are allocated based on a club's UEFA coefficient ranking over a four-year period. This system rewards consistent performance in the Champions League, factoring in points earned from wins, draws, and progression through different stages of the competition. Each country is also typically limited to a maximum of two clubs qualifying via the ranking path, unless more than two different clubs from the same country win the Champions League.
Barcelona's Qualification Miss
Barcelona's failure to qualify stems from their inability to meet the criteria through either of these pathways. They did not win the UEFA Champions League during the specified qualification window, which would have granted them an automatic entry. Furthermore, their performances in the Champions League during this period, marked by early exits from the group stage or round of 16 in recent seasons, resulted in an insufficient accumulation of UEFA coefficient points to secure a spot via the ranking pathway. Clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, and others who either won the Champions League or consistently reached the latter stages, accumulated the necessary points for qualification.
