Liverpool actually qualified for Club World Cup – why they’re not in it

June 14, 2025
Joanna Durkan

The newly expanded Club World Cup gets underway on Saturday, but there is no place for Liverpool despite technically ‘qualifying’. Here’s why.

FIFA’s controversial 32-team Club World Cup tournament debuts this summer in the United States, with clubs competing for prize money up to £97 million.

The overall prize fund of £775 million will be shared between all 32 teams based on participation and performances, with some clubs to earn £29.6 million just for taking part.

The tournament runs from June 14 to July 13 and adds unnecessary games to an already demanding schedule for top-level players and despite the prize money available, Arne Slot is unlikely to be too dismayed about missing out.

Why Liverpool are not in the 2025 Club World Cup

As for why the Reds are not involved in the competition, it is because they allow only two clubs per country to take part, and Man City and Chelsea had guaranteed their place.

Having won the Champions League in the pre-determined four-year cycle, starting from 2020/2021, they earned automatic qualification and ruled Liverpool out despite being ranked above Chelsea by UEFA.

Clubs from Europe were given 12 of the 32 places at this summer’s tournament and Liverpool effectively qualified by being the fifth-best performing team across Europe.

But that criteria is overlooked due to Chelsea (2021) and Man City (2024) having both lifted Ol’ Big Ears during the qualifying period.

Red Bull Salzburg, though, have a spot ahead of the likes of Liverpool, despite being the 15th-best team not to win the Champions League as they are not competing with two other teams from Austria.

The competition will be held every four years and thus Liverpool’s next opportunity to be involved will be in 2029.

Should Liverpool win the Champions League between now and then, and/or fewer than two English teams win it, the Reds would be taking part then.