Despite facing a UEFA ban from European competitions this season due to violations of financial regulations, Juventus secured a spot in the 2025 Club World Cup when their Italian counterparts, Napoli, were eliminated from the Champions League.
Napoli’s departure came after a 3-1 loss to Barcelona in the second leg of the round of 16, resulting in a 4-2 aggregate defeat.
This outcome allowed Juventus to advance based on their European ranking to the first 32-team Club World Cup set to take place in the US during June-July 2025. The tournament will feature continental champions from 2021-2024 and other top-ranked teams.
Juventus’ qualification came shortly after Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, Al Nassr, was knocked out of the Asian Champions League quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s spot in the Club World Cup remains uncertain due to its current standing in the European rankings behind Atletico Madrid.
The Club World Cup will include winners of the Champions League from the past four years, alongside additional teams ranked highest in the competition, with a cap on entries per country.
Juventus, having reached the Champions League’s round of 16 twice in the past four years, secured their place as the second-best Italian team following Napoli’s exit.
Juventus’ participation in next year’s Club World Cup follows a UEFA-imposed ban and financial penalties related to false accounting, which they are expected to offset with Club World Cup earnings.
The tournament format will mimic the World Cup, featuring group stages followed by knockout rounds.
Qualified teams also include Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and others, with several teams still vying for a spot.
The tournament will also feature representation from clubs around the world, including three Brazilian teams and others from the US, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, with the final continental qualifiers concluding with South America’s Copa Libertadores at the end of November 2024.
