Author: Vishwajit Sawant
In an important event for South American soccer, the winner of the Copa Conmebol Libertadores, which will be decided on November 4 at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, will gain an extraordinary privilege: a guaranteed place in two editions of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The first of these opportunities comes this year, with the Club World Cup scheduled to take place between December 12 and 22 in Saudi Arabia. This tournament, which follows the current format with seven clubs, should be retired soon, as FIFA has already indicated. The second slot is reserved for the 2025 Club World Cup, an expanded edition with 32 participating clubs, organized by the United States as a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Of the seven clubs that will compete in the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, six have already been confirmed, with only the Libertadores champion remaining. These teams include Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Al Ahly (Egypt), León (Mexico), Auckland City (New Zealand), Manchester City (England) and Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia).
In a glimpse into the future, the 2025 Club World Cup will see the representation of South American soccer expand. South America is entitled to six places in this major tournament, with Conmebol decreeing that four of these places will be filled by the Libertadores champions of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. As a result, Palmeiras (2021 champions) and Flamengo (2022 champions) have already secured their places.
The remaining two positions will be determined by a ranking system drawn up by Conmebol, taking into account the clubs’ performance in continental competitions between 2021 and 2024. This ranking will also take into account the 2024 Libertadores champion, if it is a club that has won the competition in the previous three years.
The specific criteria for this ranking have yet to be defined, but it is likely that Conmebol will give considerable weight to the Copa Sudamericana, thus motivating teams to participate in full force.
In a parallel move, Europe has secured 12 substantial places in the 2032 Club World Cup. UEFA, like Conmebol, has guaranteed places for the four Champions League winners from 2021 to 2024, with other places to be determined through a ranking system. As a result, Chelsea (2021), Real Madrid (2022) and Manchester City (2023) are already guaranteed places in the 2025 Club World Cup, setting the stage for a thrilling intercontinental soccer showdown.