Although the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final is yet to be played, four teams have already booked their places for the 2029 edition of the tournament—highlighting the long-term planning and qualification structure under FIFA’s newly expanded format.
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will clash on Sunday in the 2025 final, marking the first ever under the revamped 32-team format, which transforms the Club World Cup into a quadrennial event, aligning it with the scheduling of international tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.
Despite the four-year gap until the next tournament in 2029, four clubs have secured early qualification by winning their respective continental championships in 2025.
Early Qualifiers for 2029
Paris Saint-Germain (France): The French champions qualified by thrashing Inter Milan 5–0 in the 2025 UEFA Champions League final—an emphatic win that set a new record for the largest margin of victory in a UCL final. It also marked PSG’s long-awaited first Champions League triumph.
Cruz Azul (Mexico): The CONCACAF giants secured their ticket to 2029 by lifting the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, overcoming MLS side LAFC in a dramatic final that ended 3–2 after extra time.
Pyramids FC (Egypt): The Egyptian Premier League club made history by winning the CAF Champions League for the first time, defeating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the final. Their qualification marks a new era for Egyptian football, with Pyramids emerging as a serious continental force.
Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia): One of Asia’s most decorated clubs, Al-Ahli earned their place in the 2029 Club World Cup by winning the AFC Champions League Elite, a restructured version of Asia’s top-tier competition. They defeated South Korea’s Ulsan HD in a tense final to seal qualification.
About the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup
The 2029 tournament will be the second to feature the expanded 32-team format, introduced for the first time in 2025. It will bring together the best clubs from each of the six confederations, with allocations based on historical performance and regional competition results. The event will also include one spot for the host nation, though FIFA has yet to announce the host country for 2029.
The remaining qualification slots will be filled over the next three years through continental competitions and FIFA’s club ranking system, which will determine additional berths for high-performing clubs from confederations with more competitive depth, such as UEFA and CONMEBOL.
Qualified Teams So Far for 2029:
Paris Saint-Germain (France, UEFA Champions League winners 2025) Cruz Azul (Mexico, CONCACAF Champions Cup winners 2025) Pyramids FC (Egypt, CAF Champions League winners 2025) Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia, AFC Champions League Elite winners 2025)
More clubs are expected to join the lineup as continental competitions continue through the 2025–2028 cycle.