The FIFA Club World Cup premiered a new format in 2025, and although it has several European giants, Barcelona could not classify this edition.
The Catalans signed a great season, ending as LaLiga champions and the Copa del Rey, In addition to reaching the semifinals in the last edition of the Champions League. However, it was not enough to get a place in the tournament that will be played in the United States.
In this edition of the Club World Cup compete 32 teams, of which 12 are representatives of Europe, With a maximum of two clubs per country, unless more than two have been champions of the Champions League between the 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 seasons.
Classification criteria
The main classification criteria for European teams is The UEFA coefficient, A table that measures the performance of clubs in European competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League).
Win the Champions League at any of the seasons included in the classification process ensures an automatic quota in the Club World Cup. For example, the PSG already has its assured ticket for the next edition thanks to its recent consecration.
What lacked Barcelona?
The recent triumphs of Barcelona, under the technical direction of Hansi Flick, They will add points for the edition of the Club World Cup in 2029, But for the 2025 appointment the quotas were already defined.
During the seasons they had for the classification to this World Cup, Barcelona had discrete performances: He was eliminated twice in the group stage (2021-22 and 2022-23), once in the round of 16 (2020-21) and in the quarterfinals in the most recent campaign (2023-24).
Barcelona accumulated 61 points in the UEFA ranking, six less than Atlético de Madrid, which occupied the second place corresponding to Spain. The first was for Real Madrid, with 119 points, promoted by its two Champions League titles in that period.
What do you need to classify in 2029?
For now, Barcelona was the best Spanish team in the last edition of the Champions League, whose results are already computed to define the 12 European representatives in the 2029 Club World Cup.
Those led by Flick add currently 41 points and are located in the fourth place of the UEFA ranking for that tournament, Behind Inter Milan (48 points), PSG (43 points) and Arsenal, which has the same amount as the culés, but a better goals difference.
As for its direct competitors, Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid add 27 units each and occupy the ninth and tenth position, respectively, so they must improve their participations in Europe if they want to be at the next World Cup event.