FIFA and EFC Partner for Expanded 2029 Club World Cup, Boosting Premier League Slots

The global football landscape is poised for a significant transformation with FIFA's latest move towards an expanded 48-team Club World CupCompetition·Club World Cup. A landmark joint venture with the European Football Clubs (EFC) lobby group, announced on June 25, 2026, is set to reshape the competition, with the next edition slated for 2029.

This collaboration between FIFA and the EFC, which represents over 700 European clubs and is chaired by Paris Saint-GermainTeam·Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, aims to operate the Club World CupCompetition·Club World Cup. The EFC already holds a similar joint venture with UEFA for continental competitions, and its commercial success, including a 25% increase in UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League media and sponsorship revenues for the upcoming four-year cycle from 2027, has reportedly impressed FIFA.

A key implication of this expansion is the potential for greater representation from Europe's top leagues, particularly the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League. The previous 32-team tournament saw high-profile absences, with restrictions limiting entry to four previous UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League winners and eight clubs with the highest UEFA coefficient, alongside a two-club-per-country cap. The EFC is understood to be advocating for the removal of this national limit, which would open the door for prominent English clubs such as ArsenalTeam·Arsenal, LiverpoolTeam·Liverpool, and Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City, all currently within UEFA's top eight coefficient rankings, to participate.

The driving force behind this expansion is undoubtedly financial. The 2025 FIFA Club World CupCompetition·Club World Cup, the inaugural 32-team edition held in the United States, demonstrated the lucrative potential of the tournament. ChelseaTeam·Chelsea, who emerged as champions after defeating Paris Saint-GermainTeam·Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final, reportedly earned approximately £84 million from their victory. This substantial financial reward has spurred other major European clubs to lobby FIFA for an expanded format, increasing their chances of qualification and a share of the prize money.

While the £740 million prize money for the 2025 tournament has been distributed, including ChelseaTeam·Chelsea's reported earnings, there remain unresolved issues concerning solidarity payments. A sum of £185 million is owed to clubs worldwide that did not participate in the 2025 edition, and a redistribution formula for these fees has yet to be agreed upon by the six confederations. Resolving these outstanding payments is a primary focus before attention fully shifts to the 2029 edition.

This joint venture also signals a significant improvement in relations between FIFA and Europe's elite clubs, following earlier tensions surrounding the 2025 tournament. The return of Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid to the EFC fold, after their withdrawal from the Super League project, further underscores this improved collaborative environment. Organisers believe that increasing the number of European participants will significantly boost the tournament's commercial value, addressing previous challenges in securing broadcasting rights sales. The focus now turns to settling the remaining financial disputes from 2025 and meticulously planning for the expanded 2029 competition.