FC Salzburg has secured a spot in the upcoming expanded Club World Cup, marking their entry as the 12th European team in the prestigious tournament. The team's qualification came after a reshuffling of spots due to all four Champions League semifinalists already securing their places in the Club World Cup.
The last European spot was initially reserved for the Champions League winners of this year. However, with all semifinalists already qualified, the spot was reallocated to the best-performing club over the past four years not already in the competition, which turned out to be FC Salzburg.
The confirmation of Salzburg's place came after Arsenal's elimination from the Champions League by Bayern Munich. Arsenal would have claimed the spot had they won the Champions League this season.
Several prominent European clubs were ineligible for the spot due to a two-club limit per country, unless more than two different clubs win the continental title. This restriction left clubs like Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, and AC Milan out of contention.
Despite being ranked 18th in the performance table, FC Salzburg's consistent presence in the Champions League group stages over the past four years and reaching the round of 16 in 2022 secured their place in the Club World Cup.
The upcoming Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, including six from South America, four each from Concacaf, Africa, and Asia, and one from Oceania. The tournament's format will see the 32 teams drawn into eight groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stages.
Among the European teams already confirmed for the Club World Cup are Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and others. The tournament will take place in the United States, with the final 32nd spot reserved for the host confederation.
The field of 32 teams will be completed by the end of the year, with the tournament set to be a month-long affair featuring top clubs from around the world.
