Chelsea might be basking in the glory of their FIFA Club World Cup triumph over PSG, but their celebration comes with a caveat: the prestigious win doesn’t guarantee them a spot in the next edition of the tournament in 2029.
The Blues secured a memorable 3-0 victory against the French giants, with a brilliant brace from Cole Palmer and a goal from Joao Pedro, clinching their second major trophy of the season under Enzo Maresca.
Palmer was the standout performer, not only scoring two well-taken goals but also assisting Pedro for the third just before halftime, as reported by Football London.
However, the new format of the FIFA Club World Cup, much like the FIFA World Cup itself, does not offer the defending champions an automatic slot in the subsequent competition.
This means Chelsea will have to navigate the qualification process all over again if they intend to participate in 2029.
According to FIFA.com, qualification for the Club World Cup is primarily based on performance in the UEFA Champions League within specific periods.
For Chelsea to secure their spot in the 2029 tournament, they must win the UEFA Champions League between 2026 and 2028.
This was precisely how PSG qualified for the recent edition; their dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier in the season had already sealed their place, despite their loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.
This underscores that domestic or continental success, particularly in the UEFA Champions League, remains the primary pathway to qualification.
Chelsea’s participation in the 2025 edition, for instance, stemmed from their 2021 Champions League win under Thomas Tuchel, which met FIFA’s criteria for the revamped tournament.
Should Chelsea fail to lift the Champions League trophy before 2028, their only alternative route to qualification would be through the UEFA coefficient rankings.
This system ranks clubs based on their performance in European competitions over a five-year period. However, this path comes with its own complexities.
FIFA allows a maximum of two clubs per country, unless more than two teams win the Champions League during the qualifying window. This stipulation could intensify the competition for English clubs, given the strength of the Premier League, potentially blocking Chelsea’s route even with a strong coefficient if two other English sides qualify via Champions League victories.
