Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has secured a spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, but Chelsea, despite winning the 2025 edition, has not automatically qualified. This situation arises from the tournament's updated format and qualification rules.
The 2029 Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, with slots allocated to different confederations. UEFA (Europe) receives 12 slots, CONMEBOL (South America) gets 6, while AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), and CONCACAF (North America) each have 4 slots. Oceania (OFC) gets 1 slot, and the host nation receives an automatic spot.
UEFA's 12 slots are filled in two ways. Four slots are reserved for the Champions League winners from the four years leading up to the tournament (2025-2028). PSG, as the 2025 Champions League winner, has already secured one of these slots. The remaining eight UEFA slots are awarded based on club rankings. These rankings consider a club's performance in European competitions over the previous four years.
Chelsea's victory in the 2025 Club World Cup does not guarantee them a place in the 2029 edition. According to the new rules, the Club World Cup winner does not receive automatic qualification. Instead, Chelsea must qualify through one of the UEFA slots. Currently, Chelsea sits 14th in the UEFA rankings. To qualify for the 2029 Club World Cup, they need to climb into the top 12 or win the Champions League in any of the next three years.
Several other teams have already qualified for the 2029 Club World Cup. Cruz Azul (Mexico) qualified by winning the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) secured their spot by winning the 2024-25 AFC Champions League. Pyramids FC (Egypt) qualified by winning the 2024-25 CAF Champions League.
The absence of an automatic qualification for the Club World Cup winners emphasizes consistency and sustained excellence in European competitions. Chelsea will need to maintain a strong performance in the Champions League to secure their place in the 2029 Club World Cup.
