When is the Next FIFA Club World Cup?

With the inaugural edition of the new FIFA Club World Cup wrapping up on Sunday in a thrilling upset that saw London club Chelsea FC take home the cup, soccer fans across the globe are all now wondering the same thing: when is the next FIFA Club World Cup? In this article I’ll tackle that question and many more regarding the next Club World Cup.

When is the Next FIFA Club World Cup?

The next FIFA Club World Cup will most likely take place in the summer of 2029, exactly 4 years from the tournament played in 2025. However, there are exceptions to this. If Qatar get the bid–which is looking like a real possibility, thanks to their existing stadiums and experience hosting the World Cup—the next Club World Cup tournament will most likely be moved to the winter of 2029.

Most European clubs would likely strongly oppose such a disruption to the regular season so it remains to be seen if FIFA will go in that direction. But what about other potential suitors?

Where will the Next FIFA Club World Cup Take Place?

Many ideas are flying around at the moment with classic footballing nations like Spain, Portugal and Brazil all throwing their names in the hat to host the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco would want to host the event as a precursor to hosting the official FIFA World Cup in 2030, the same way the USA have done it this year in preparation for their World Cup next year.

One name that’s been picking up a lot of steam recently is Brazil. Following the remarkable performance of Brazilian clubs in the tournament—Fluminense reaching the semi-finals—Samir Xaud, President of Brazil’s football federation (CBF) had introductory conversations with FIFA president Infantino stating on the CBF website:

“I talked about my goals as head of the CBF and said that we want to be closer to FIFA. I praised the event and the level of Brazilian clubs and, finally, I made the country available to host the next Club World Cup.

President Infantino was very happy and said that it is totally possible. Now we will work to make it happen. It will be a great goal.”

Another possibility is Australia—potentially as a joint bid with New Zealand. Prior to his resignation in 2025, James Johnson chief executive of Football Australia (FA) previously expressed the country’s interest in bidding for the 2029 Club World Cup as part of a plan to elevate the sport on Australian shores.

“You get the football community, the stakeholders, focused on the competition and the legacy that can be provided, and I think that’s where we have seen our quickest growth. So, I think implementing a strategy for more global competitions is something that allows the handbrakes to come off.”

All this to say, we don’t really know yet where the next FIFA Club World Cup will be hosted but we’re expecting a decision to be made around mid-2026. These things are usually decided years in advance in order to get all the pieces moving and everything prepared for the event.

Who has Qualified for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup?

Based on the current qualification cycle (2025-2028) we already know 4 clubs that will definitely be making an appearance in the 2029 Club World Cup. Those clubs are:

• Cruz Azul (Mexico): 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup winner
• Paris Saint‑Germain (France): 2024–25 UEFA Champions League winner
• Al‑Ahli (Saudi Arabia): 2024–25 AFC Champions League winner
• Pyramids FC (Egypt): 2024–25 CAF Champions League winner

The rest of the spots will be given to the best performing teams in each confederation’s premier club competition (e.g., UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, etc.) over the four-year period from 2024 to 2028.

Despite claiming the title this year Chelsea FC are not guaranteed a place in the 2029 World Cup. Silly? Yeah, I think so, but it is how it is. Click here to learn more about how teams qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup and a general explanation of the new format.