List of FIFA Club World Cup participants

The FIFA Club World Cup is an international association football competition organised by the FIFA, the sport's global governing body.[1] The championship was first contested as the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000.[2] It was not held between 2001 and 2004 due to a combination of factors, most importantly the collapse of FIFA's marketing partner International Sport and Leisure.[3] Following a change in format which saw the FIFA Club World Championship absorb the Intercontinental Cup, it was relaunched in 2005 and took its current name the season afterwards.[4]

The current format, in use since the competition was revamped ahead of the 2025 edition, features 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation; 12 teams from Europe, 6 from South America, 4 from Asia, 4 from Africa, 4 from North, Central America and Caribbean, 1 from Oceania, and 1 team from the host nation. The teams are drawn into eight groups of four, with each team playing three Group stage matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final.[1]

  1. ^ a b "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012 – Regulations" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Brazil 2000 Final Draw". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 14 October 1999. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  3. ^ "FIFA decides to postpone 2001 Club World Championship to 2003". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 18 May 2001. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Toyota confirmed as FIFA Club World Championship 2005 naming partner". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 March 2005. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.