Club World Cup draw is SPLIT, keeping Chelsea away from European opponents – but Man City will face a Champions League club
FIFA have confirmed rules for the Club World Cup draw which will lead to Manchester City facing European rivals in the group stage, while Chelsea have been kept apart from other teams on the continent.
Chelsea and Man City are the two English clubs competing in the tournament as a result of winning the Champions League in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
And FIFA have revealed the seedings for the group stage draw, which will take place on Thursday.
Man City were placed in Pot 1 alongside Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate and Fluminense.
Chelsea will be drawn from Pot 2, which features the remaining eight teams representing UEFA in the expanded competition.
Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus and Salzburg complete Pot 2.
Man City will be forced to face UEFA opposition in the FIFA Club World Cup group stage
Pep Guardiola’s side will face one of Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus or Salzburg
Chelsea will be drawn to face one of South America’s top sides in the group stage
FIFA had made the general principle that no group could have more than one team from the same confederation, which had applied to all confederations bar UEFA – who are represented by 12 teams.
As a result, four of the eight groups at the tournament will feature two UEFA teams.
FIFA’s draw regulations state that the UEFA teams ranked from fifth to eighth will be drawn into groups featuring one of the top four CONMEBOL teams.
This would mean Chelsea would avoid another UEFA side in the group stage, with the Blues, Dortmund, Inter and Porto set to be drawn against either Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate or Fluminense.
The lowest four ranked UEFA teams from Pot 2 will then be drawn against the continent’s highest ranked sides in the competition.
As the top ranked UEFA teams, Man City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG could be drawn to face Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus or Salzburg – the lowest ranked UEFA teams in Pot 2.
FIFA’s draw regulations state UEFA teams ranked 1-4 will be drawn into groups which will prevent them meeting before the semi-finals, provided their win their respective groups. The same applies for the top four CONMEBOL teams.
Two pathways have been created by FIFA with the first featuring the winners of groups A, C, E and G, who have been paired with the runners-up of groups B, D, F and H.
Man City have been paired with Real Madrid, putting them on a path for a semi-final meeting
The second pathway consists of the winners of groups B, D, F and H, who have been paired with the runners-up of groups A, C, E and G.
As the highest two ranked UEFA teams, Man City and Real Madrid will be allocated to separate pathways, so can only meet in the semi-finals provided they win their groups.
Bayern Munich and PSG have been similarly paired together, while the same applies to CONMBEBOL sides ranked 1-2 and 3-4 from pot one.
Pot 3 and Pot 4 are made up of a number of teams from across the globe including Neymar’s Al-Hilal and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The 2025 Club World Cup will be contested by 32 clubs from the six continental confederations and will be the first edition in this format to take place in the United States.
FIFA has so far struggled to attract broadcasters for the tournament, while the creation of the competition has been criticised amid concerns over the packed playing schedule.
