FIFA to launch 32-team Club World Cup and will re-consider 2026 World Cup format

In a press conference on Friday, Gianni Infantino announced plans for a men's 32-team Club World Cup in 2025.

FIFA wanted to start the new Club World Cup in China in 2021 with 24 teams but their plans were cancelled due to the pandemic.

“The new men’s Club World Cup will take place in 2025 and will feature 32 teams,"

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed.

"The 32-team tournament will go ahead, making it like a World Cup.”

He continued:

”The details of the location still need to be discussed but it has been agreed and decided that a 32-team Club World Cup tournament will go ahead making it like a World Cup.

"I don't know what the British press says or doesn't say, but I know what we've decided and that is that there will be a Club World Cup of 32 teams to be played every four years and the first edition will take place in 2025 in the summer.”

Infantino also confirmed that FIFA will 'rediscuss' the 2026 World Cup group stage format. The 2026

is a 48-team tournament and FIFA Council in 2017 decided that the nations should be split into 16 groups of three. Infantino said that the group stage format may change.

Infantino said:

"We have approved a 48-team World Cup format with 16 groups of three, of which the top two would then move to a knockout phase of 32, followed by 16, eight, four and then two.

"I have to say that after this World Cup and the success of the groups of four, and looking as well at some other competitions like the Euros for example where you have 24 teams and the top two plus the best third ones go to the next stage.

"Here, the groups of four have been absolutely incredible in the sense that until the last minute of the last match, you wouldn't know who goes through. We will have to revisit or at least rediscuss the format - whether we go for 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four. This is something that will certainly be on the agenda in the next meetings."

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