<h1>Why is Barcelona Not in the Club World Cup?</h1> <p>If you follow soccer, you might be wondering why Barcelona is missing from the upcoming 2025<strong> FIFA Club World Cup</strong>.</p> <p>This year’s tournament is bigger than ever, bringing 32 teams from all around the world to compete in the United States, with Europe sending its strongest sides based on recent performances and club rankings.</p> <p>European clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea earned their spots by claiming <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/events/champions-league">UEFA Champions League</a> glory, but Barcelona did not qualify through <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/results/2025-05-14/sports/soccer-29/spanish-la-liga-1029">La Liga</a> or other European competitions.</p> <p>For a complete overview of the event, you can check out our guide to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, explore the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/fifa-club-world-cup-teams">full list of the teams involved in the competition</a>, and mark all the most important dates to remember in our 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Schedule.</p> <p>The Club World Cup uses a system to determine which teams make the cut, relying on both achievements in major tournaments and overall club ranking.</p> <p>Barcelona, despite their rich history and popularity with fans, couldn’t secure enough recent success in the Champions League to get a ticket to this year’s edition.</p> <p>For punters and soccer fans, Barcelona’s from any of the eight groups is surprising, one that surely changes the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/fifa-club-world-cup/fifa-club-world-cup">FIFA Club World Cup betting odds</a> and the usual lineup you might expect to see on the world stage.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Why the Rules Shut Barcelona Out</h2> <p>The Club World Cup keeps the numbers tight: Europe gets 12 spots, but<strong> no more than two clubs from the same country </strong>can join the competition.</p> <p>Real Madrid already locked up one of Spain’s berths by winning the 2022 and 2024 Champions Leagues, so that left a single place up for grabs, and the battle came down to recent Champions League form, not La Liga trophies.</p> <p>Over the last four European campaigns, Atlético Madrid edged Barça on UEFA’s ranking table thanks to two quarter-final runs. Barcelona, by contrast, fell at the group stage in 2022 and 2023 and bowed out in the round of 16 the year before.</p> <p>Under FIFA’s formula, those extra knockout points nudged Atlético ahead and closed the door on a third Spanish entrant.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Domestic Titles Don’t Count Here</h2> <p>Winning La Liga in 2022-2023 and again in 2024-2025 was a statement, but league honours alone don’t move the Club World Cup dial.</p> <p>Qualification from Europe is based solely on UEFA Champions League performance during the current four-year window, so if you don’t rack up deep runs (or lift the trophy), you rely on coefficient points, meaning that knockout wins are worth more than league dominance.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Barcelona Aren’t the Only Casualty</h2> <p>The two-per-nation cap has eliminated other big names: Liverpool, RB Leipzig and AC Milan.&nbsp;</p> <p>Like Barcelona, Liverpool paid for England’s limit once City and Chelsea sealed automatic spots.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Road Back</h2> <p>For Barcelona, the path is clear: they need to go deep (or, even better: win) in the Champions League during the next qualifying cycle.</p> <p>A semi-final or better would all but guarantee a return in 2029, and until then, fans will have to watch rivals compete on the global stage and look for future opportunities elsewhere.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Related Guides to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup</h2> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/fifa-club-world-cup-guide">What is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/club-world-cup-2025-prize-money">Breaking Down the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Prize Pool</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/fifa-club-world-cup-teams">Which Teams Are in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/tips-predictions-soccer/2025-fifa-club-world-cup-group-preview">FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group-by-Group Preview</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/why-chelsea-liverpool-2025-club-world-cup">Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/why-chelsea-liverpool-2025-club-world-cup">Why Chelsea is in the 2025 Club World Cup and Liverpool Isn’t</a></p>