Why Arsenal is not playing in Club World Cup this summer – explained

As excitement builds ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, many Arsenal fans are left wondering why their beloved team will not be among the global giants battling for the title of world champions. With 32 clubs set to compete in this historic edition of the tournament, Arsenal’s absence is both noticeable and, for some, frustrating.

Despite the North London club’s recent rise under Mikel Arteta, including impressive domestic finishes and a strong presence in European competitions, Arsenal has missed out on this summer’s Club World Cup for reasons tied not to current form, but to UEFA’s long-term qualification process.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be the first of its kind to feature an expanded format. Unlike previous editions with only a handful of participants, FIFA has opted for a full-scale tournament featuring 32 teams from across the globe. It’s a move designed to mirror the men’s international World Cup, and it promises to become one of the biggest events in the football calendar.

But entry into this tournament wasn’t open to just any big-name club. Qualification was based on performances over a specific period: a four-year window spanning the 2021–2024 UEFA Champions League seasons. Teams were selected based on a points system that rewarded consistency and excellence in European competition.

For English clubs, only two slots were available, as FIFA capped the number of representatives per country to ensure global balance and fairness. These two coveted places were claimed by Manchester City and Chelsea—both of whom earned their tickets through their triumphs in Europe’s elite competition.

Chelsea booked their place by winning the 2020/21 Champions League under Thomas Tuchel, defeating Manchester City in the final. That victory secured their participation in the tournament regardless of their later form.

Manchester City, meanwhile, followed up with their own moment of glory by lifting the Champions League in the 2022/23 season under Pep Guardiola. Their dominance in both the Premier League and Europe ensured they comfortably qualified as one of UEFA’s top-performing clubs during the qualification cycle.

That left Arsenal, along with other notable English clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United, on the outside looking in. Despite strong campaigns, they fell short in European competition during the qualification window and failed to secure a Champions League title that would have granted them automatic entry.

Arsenal’s resurgence under Arteta has been remarkable. They’ve finished as strong Premier League title contenders, played attractive football, and reconnected with their fanbase in ways not seen since the Wenger era. However, their return to the Champions League only came in the 2023/24 season, and they didn’t progress far enough to accumulate the necessary UEFA coefficient points.

Many fans may point to the club’s trajectory and argue they deserve to be there on current form—but unfortunately, qualification for the 2025 Club World Cup is not based on who’s currently the best, but on a historical record stretching back four seasons.

There’s also the technical factor of FIFA’s rule limiting each country to just two representatives. Even if Arsenal had outperformed one of City or Chelsea in the coefficient rankings, they still would have been blocked unless one of those teams had underperformed.

The competition rules were designed with geographic fairness in mind. South America, Africa, Asia, and North America all needed space for their champions, and allowing five or six clubs from one country would have upset that balance. As a result, top European leagues like the Premier League had to accept the two-club restriction.

While disappointing, missing out on this Club World Cup may offer Arsenal a silver lining. Without the intense travel and congested fixture list the tournament brings, the Gunners will enjoy a more focused pre-season and potentially a fresher start to the 2025/26 campaign.

Arteta’s side will now aim to make their mark in next season’s European competitions, hoping to build a Champions League record worthy of future qualification. With a young, talented squad led by the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and William Saliba, Arsenal certainly have the tools to challenge on all fronts.

There’s no doubt that the Arsenal faithful would have loved to see their team go toe-to-toe with global giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Flamengo on the world stage. But as it stands, the Club World Cup in the USA will proceed without the red and white of North London.

For now, Arsenal fans can only look ahead to the next Club World Cup cycle, knowing that continued success in Europe could see them finally earn their place among the world’s elite.

In the meantime, their focus will remain firmly on domestic glory and a deeper push in the Champions League, aiming to turn potential into silverware. And perhaps next time, when the Club World Cup rolls around again, Arsenal will be more than just spectators.