Barcelona 'made late plea to FIFA asking to join Club World Cup' but were overlooked in favour of LAFC
Barcelona reportedly made a last-minute plea to FIFA to be included in the 2025 Club World Cup — but were snubbed in favour of MLS side LAFC.
It is claimed that the Catalan giants had hoped to take advantage of a late opening created when Mexican side Club Leon were kicked out due to FIFA's multi-club ownership rules.
Leon and fellow Liga MX side Pachuca are both operated by Grupo Pachuca, and the regulations prevent more than one team from the same ownership group from participating.
According to Marca, Barcelona reacted to news of Leon's exclusion by contacting FIFA officials in a bid to secure a place at the revamped tournament, which kicked off in the United States on Saturday night.
But despite winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup in 2024–25, their request was denied.
Instead, LAFC were handed the vacant slot after winning a CONCACAF play-off against Club America — ensuring the berth remained within the North and Central American region.
Barcelona had missed out on qualifying via the UEFA route due to a two-club-per-country rule, which could only be bent if one nation had three or more Champions League winners during the qualification period.
Twelve European clubs qualified for the Club World Cup — a mix of Champions League winners and the highest-ranked sides in UEFA's four-year coefficient table, with a maximum of two clubs per country.
Spain had already filled its quota: Real Madrid qualified automatically by winning the Champions League in 2022 and 2024, while Atletico Madrid took the second spot by ranking 10th in UEFA's coefficient table.
Barcelona, despite sitting 12th in the same rankings — ahead of teams like Benfica, Juventus and Red Bull Salzburg — were blocked by the two-club-per-country rule.
Three consecutive Champions League group-stage exits between 2021 and 2023 had left them behind Atletico in UEFA's overall standings, and with Spain's two slots already taken, they missed out.
The financial implications are huge.
Atletico are expected to pocket up to €115million for their participation, while Real Madrid could earn as much as €135m — thanks to a higher starting bonus for having won the Champions League.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are left watching from afar — with their summer tour of Japan offering modest commercial returns compared to the windfall available in the United States.
Argentina (River Plate and Boca Juniors)
Austria (Red Bull Salzburg)
Brazil (Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo)
Egypt (Al Ahly)
England (Chelsea and Manchester City)
France (Paris Saint-Germain)
Germany (Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund)
Italy (Inter Milan and Juventus)
Japan (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Mexico (Monterrey and Pachuca)
Morocco (Wydad AC)
New Zealand (Auckland City)
Portugal (Porto and Benfica)
Saudi Arabia (Al-Hilal)
South Africa (Mamelodi Sundowns)
South Korea (Ulsan HD)
Spain (Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid)
Tunisia (Esperance de Tunis)
United Arab Emirates (Al Ain)
United States (Seattle Sounders, LAFC and Inter Miami)
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