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Despite clinching La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona has failed to secure a spot in the 2025 Club World Cup. Following the exclusion of Mexican club León from the tournament due to ownership issues, Barcelona reached out to FIFA to fill the vacant slot. However, according to Spanish sports daily Marca, FIFA turned down their request.
León was dropped from the competition due to a conflict of ownership with another Mexican club, Pachuca, which is under the same ownership group. Although Barcelona proposed themselves to fill the vacancy, FIFA opted to maintain regional balance by selecting LA FC from the CONCACAF region. LA FC earned their spot after defeating Club América in a playoff match.
Despite their domestic treble in the 2024–25 season, Barcelona did not qualify directly for the Club World Cup. FIFA’s rules allow a maximum of two clubs per country, and Spain’s slots went to Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, who stand to earn approximately €135 million in prize money.
Missing out on the Club World Cup has disrupted Barcelona’s plans to engage with fans in the United States. The club is now shifting focus to a summer tour in Asia to further expand its brand and fanbase.
Despite this off-field setback, the Catalan giants remain determined to move forward.
AI/MR
