The expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off in the United States with 32 elite teams, but three Premier League giants, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, are noticeably absent from the tournament.
The reason? FIFA’s two-team per country rule. Despite years of top-tier European performances, only Chelsea and Manchester City qualified to represent England in the inaugural edition of the revamped global showpiece.
The two clubs secured their places by virtue of Champions League titles in 2021 and 2023 respectively, locking out any other English contenders regardless of UEFA coefficient standings.
Liverpool, who reached the UCL final in 2022, fell short by not lifting the trophy. Meanwhile, Manchester United and Arsenal both failed to mount serious European campaigns over the last four seasons, with neither club winning or reaching the latter stages of the Champions League.
Twelve European clubs qualified for the tournament based on their performances in Europe’s top competition from 2020 to 2024.
However, the combination of FIFA’s country quota and emphasis on Champions League success meant other heavyweights like Barcelona, AC Milan and RB Leipzig also missed out.
The 2025 tournament, hosted across U.S. cities, has welcomed top clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG and Juventus, alongside Inter Miami, who were controversially granted a spot as host representatives despite not winning the MLS Cup.
While City and Chelsea begin their campaigns this week, United, Arsenal and Liverpool will have to settle for watching from the sidelines, victims of FIFA’s restrictive selection policy.
