FIFA is considering the idea of increasing the number of teams allowed per country for the next Club World Cup in 2029.
There would be three instead of two, a rule that does not apply to countries with multiple continental champions during the qualification period for the tournament.
According to the English newspaper The Times, the goal would be to correct “injustices” seen in this year’s edition, as Liverpool, Barcelona, and Napoli – national champions in 2024/2025 – were left out.
The trio did not compete in the World Cup due to the club ranking and also the absence of Champions titles in the four seasons preceding the competition held in the United States.
The possible change would impact the size of the tournament, which would now have 48 teams instead of the 32 seen this year.
Two countries had more than two clubs in the first edition: Brazil and United States – which took Mexico’s place in this “category”.
Brazilian football had the presence of Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Botafogo due to the Libertadores titles from 2021 to 2024.
The USA would have only two: Inter Miami – as the host country’s representative – and the Seattle Sounders, winners of the 2002 Concachampions.
But there was a complication involving the Mexican clubs Pachuca and León, clubs that belong to the same owner and won the Concacaf Champions of 2024 and 2023, respectively.
FIFA’s solution was a match between Los Angeles FC and América de México to determine the new representative in place of León – the MLS team came out on top.
📸 Bryn Lennon – 2025 Getty Images
Read the full article here