Fifa has informed continental confederations that the next Club World Cup will take place in the summer of 2029, a move that appears to rule out Qatar’s proposed bid to host the tournament. The governing body has also indicated that the 2029 edition is likely to feature more than the 32 clubs that competed in the United States this summer.
The Guardian revealed in June that top clubs had been pressing Fifa to expand the Club World Cup to 48 teams, with lobbying intensifying after Chelsea won this year’s tournament, securing £85m from a £750m prize and participation fund. While some expansion is expected for 2029, a full leap to the 48-team format—scheduled for next year’s men’s World Cup—is not guaranteed.
Fifa is considering introducing a series of qualifying playoffs the week before the main tournament, with winners advancing to the Club World Cup. A single playoff match between Los Angeles FC and Mexico’s Club América was held this year to decide Concacaf’s final entrant after another Mexican club, León, was expelled for breaching multi-club ownership rules.
Although the playoff was introduced at short notice due to León’s regulatory issues, Fifa viewed it as a success. Officials believe a knockout series could generate additional excitement before the tournament, coincide with the end of the European season, and increase the value of TV rights, which were sold this year for £750m in a deal funded by Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment.
Single-leg playoffs are also seen as a way to reduce player-welfare concerns compared with expanding from 32 to 48 clubs, which would increase the number of matches from 64 to 104. Fifa currently faces a legal challenge from European Leagues and the global players’ union, FifPro, and the European Commission is yet to decide whether to launch a formal investigation.
Scheduling the 2029 tournament in the summer may help improve relations with European leagues, which were concerned it could be moved to winter if Qatar hosted. Senior Qatari officials held talks with Fifa in Miami in June, but confirmation of the summer timetable may discourage their bid.
Spain and Morocco are now considered the most likely hosts, with Portugal as a potential pre-qualifying venue due to its smaller stadiums.
Fifa is also exploring the possibility of staging the Club World Cup every two years to challenge Uefa’s long-standing dominance of international club competitions. However, this change is not expected until after 2030, when the current international match calendar expires.