Chelsea’s season isn’t over quite yet, with the Blues currently stateside to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
The expanded 32-team Club World Cup is taking place across 11 cities in the United States and is running from June 15 to July 13.
The tournament includes teams from all six continental confederations and features Premier League sides Manchester City and Chelsea – but not the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
So, why exactly are Chelsea taking part in the Club World Cup this summer?
Why are Chelsea in the Club World Cup?
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Clubs automatically qualify for the tournament if they have won a continental club competition in one of the four most-recent seasons before the 2024/25 campaign.
As one of the more recent winners of the Champions League in 2021, Chelsea are therefore eligible for the tournament.
The remaining teams are made up of the highest-ranking clubs in the respective continental ranking systems.
Europe is the most-represented continent with 12 clubs, followed by South America with six competing sides.
There are four clubs each from Asia, Africa and the North American and the Central American Federation. Oceania only gets one spot while the US, as hosts, have been given an extra place.
FIFA rules state that a maximum of two teams from the same country can take part, which is why Chelsea and Manchester City, who have both won the Champions League in the four years prior to this season, will be involved this summer at the expense of their Premier League rivals.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Group A
Palmeiras – Winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores
Porto – Fifth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Al Ahly – Winners of the 2020/21 CAF Champions League
Inter Miami – Winners of the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield
Group B
PSG – Second-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Atletico Madrid – Sixth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Botafogo – Winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores
Seattle Sounders – Winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League
Group C
Bayern Munich – Best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Auckland City – Best OFC Champions League winners in the OFC four-year ranking
Boca Juniors – Second-best ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year ranking
Benfica – Seventh-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group D
Flamengo – Winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores
Esperance de Tunis – Best-ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year ranking
Chelsea – Winners of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
Los Angeles FC – Winners of the play-in match
Group E
River Plate – Best-ranked eligible team in the CONMEBOL four-year ranking
Urawa Red Diamonds – Winners of the 2022 AFC Champions League
Monterray – Winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League
Inter Milan – Fourth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group F
Fluminense – Winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores
Borussia Dortmund – Third-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Ulsan HD – Best-ranked eligible team in the AFC four-year ranking
Mamelodi Sundowns – Second-best ranked eligible team in the CAF four-year ranking
Group G
Man City – Winners of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
Wydad AC – Winners of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League
Al Ain – Winners of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League
Juventus – Eighth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Group H
Real Madrid – Winners of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League
Al Hilal – Winners of the 2021 AFC Champions League
Pachuca – Winners of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League
Red Bull Salzburg – Ninth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking
Club World Cup format and how it works
The teams in each of the eight groups play each other once and the top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage of the competition.
The knockout stage will consist of a Round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final stage, before the final itself takes place on July 13 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Clubs were warned by FIFA before the tournament that they must take their strongest squads to the US.
Chelsea’s Club World Cup fixtures
Chelsea vs Leon (June 16, 8pm, Atlanta)
Flamengo vs Chelsea (June 20, 7pm, Philadelphia)
ES Tunis vs Chelsea (June 25, 2am, Philadelphia)
Chelsea’s previous Club World Cup campaigns
Chelsea have appeared in two Club World Cups before – in 2012 and 2021 following their Champions League triumphs in the respective years.
The west Londoners – who as the European champions were parachuted into the tournament in the semi-final stage in 2012 – beat Mexican outfit Monterrey in the last four before suffering a shock defeat to Brazilian side Corinthians in the final.
Chelsea finally got their hands on the trophy in 2021, however, beating Al-Hilal in the semi-finals and then Palmeiras in the final.
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