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Liverpool won't get the chance to add the Club World Cup to their Premier League title(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Newcomers to the upcoming Club World Cup could be forgiven for asking, ‘Why aren’t Liverpool involved?’ The revamped 32-team tournament in the United States kicks off on June 14 when Inter Miami face Egyptian side Al Ahly at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
The FIFA-run competition, which is aiming to challenge the UEFA Champions League as the world’s elite club competition, concludes on July 13 with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
With just two clubs from each national association allowed, Manchester City and Chelsea will be England’s representatives.
Liverpool and Arsenal have missed out despite being regulars at the top of the Premier League and Champions League contenders in recent seasons.
Chelsea and City got the nod courtesy of winning it in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
With Real Madrid winning the Champions League in 2022 and 2024, the other nine of Europe’s 12 spots were decided by UEFA rankings.
That would have let in 2022 runners-up Liverpool had City and Chelsea not qualified by winning the tournament.
New European champions Paris Saint-Germain qualified due to their Champions League performances in the four-year cycle, when they were regulars in the knockout stages.
Fellow Brazilian sides Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo also qualified by winning South America's version of the Champions League in recent seasons, while the Argentine pair, Boca Juniors and River Plate, are in courtesy of their CONMEBOL ranking.
The other US representatives are the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles, who won the Concacaf Champions League in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Meanwhile, in 2021 and 2024, the competition was won by Mexican pair Monterrey and Pachuca, who are also involved.
Asian trio Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Japan's Urawa Reds and Al Ain booked their places by winning the continent's Champions League.
The other Asian spot is filled by South Korea's Ulsan HD courtesy of their ranking.
Lionel Messi will grace the Club World Cup after Inter Miami were handed the host nation's spot(Image: Getty Images)
Al Ahly won the Confederation of Africa Football's Champions League three times in four seasons, while the other winners during the qualification cycle were Wydad AC.
The other African spots are filled by ES Tunis and Mamelodi Sundowns (South African), again due to their continental ranking.
Finally, Auckland City are Oceania's sole representatives after winning their federation's Champions League.
Following a tough Premier League season, Liverpool and Arsenal are unlikely to be upset about not being in action in the US this summer.
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