Club World Cup 

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Latest news on the FIFA Club World Cup, covering qualified clubs, host nation news, format changes, fixtures, results, and the road to the 2029 edition.

The FIFA Club World Cup is world football's premier club competition, bringing together continental champions from all six confederations. The tournament was relaunched in 2025 as an expanded 32-team event held every four years, aligning it with the World Cup cycle. Chelsea became the first winners of the new format, beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final in the United States.

Attention has since turned to the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, the 22nd edition, scheduled for the summer of 2029. The bidding process attracted interest from Morocco, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, the United States and Australia, among others, after FIFA confirmed a summer staging. Clubs qualify by winning continental titles such as the UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, CAF Champions League, AFC Champions League Elite and Concacaf Champions Cup, with early qualifiers including Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Cruz Azul and Al Ahli.

The competition's format remains a live debate. FIFA has explored expanding the field to 48 clubs, echoing the World Cup, and has even considered switching to a biennial cycle. European clubs have lobbied for more places, while questions persist over qualification rules, country limits and whether defending champions earn automatic entry.

The tournament has not been without controversy. Player unions and leagues have criticised fixture congestion and player workload, while the 2025 edition drew scrutiny over extreme heat, ticket pricing and attendances. Its record prize fund has also intensified debate about financial inequality in the club game, with critics warning that the riches on offer could widen the gap between elite clubs and the rest.

The Club World Cup carries a rich history stretching back to its first edition in Brazil in 2000, won by Corinthians. For two decades it ran as a compact annual event, dominated by European sides, with Real Madrid the record winners. It grew out of the old Intercontinental Cup tradition of crowning a world champion, a lineage FIFA now continues between editions through the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Our NewsNow feed on the FIFA Club World Cup is updated around the clock with headlines from trusted sources worldwide, covering qualification, host announcements, draws, transfers involving competing clubs, fixtures and results. Whether you follow a continental champion or simply love the global club game, this feed keeps you fully informed.