2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Qualified clubs set to receive €50m prize money

With the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League concluded the European starters for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States have been determined. With Barcelona knocked out, Atlético Madrid have qualified via the UEFA four-year co-efficient standings. Atlético are the second team behind Real Madrid to qualify for the tournament, and, with the exception of the hosts, only two clubs per country can qualify for the Club World Cup. With the four UCL semi-finalists already qualified for next summer’s World Cup, the path has been cleared for Red Bull Salzburg to qualify via the co-efficient standings. 

Altogether, 24 of the 32 spots at the Club World Cup have been determined. Europe will receive 12 starters, which now have all been finalized. The two English clubs are Chelsea (Champions League winner in 2021) and Manchester City (Champions League winner in 2023). The United States will have up to three starters at the tournament. The Seattle Sounders have already qualified after winning the 2022 Concacaf Champions League (now Concacaf Champions Cup), and the Philadelphia Union are currently in line to qualify via the Concacaf four-year co-efficient standings as Mexico already has two starters in Monterrey (CCL winners in 2021) and Club Léon (CCL winners in 2023). The United States will receive a third starter as the host country, with the qualification modus still to be determined for that slot. 

The tournament is set to significantly strain national team players. Next year’s Champions League final will be played on May 31 in Munich. Then, there will be an international break with World Cup qualifiers and the final of the UEFA Nations League scheduled between June 2 and 10. Five days later, the Club World Cup will kick off in the United States and take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025. Altogether the tournament will see 63 games and the teams that will reach the final will play seven games. 

FIFA Club World Cup: Clubs set to earn at least €50m  

That tournament will likely occur on the East Coast, with the West Coast hosting games for the Concacaf Gold Cup. Clubs, however, will feel that the tournament will be worth it. According to various reports, the prize money for next year’s competition is set at €2.5 billion, with clubs receiving €50m for qualifying for the tournament and the winner earning up to €100m.