FIFA looks to expand Club World Cup, but Chelsea haven’t even qualified yet

Chelsea were crowned champions of the first edition of the Club World Cup, and those who claimed to appease the competition the most are now desperate to be involved.

There are no doubts that the Blues have felt the effects of a post-season tournament. Injuries have not left star man Cole Palmer alone throughout the campaign.

Despite that, the performance and result in the final against PSG will live long in the memory of Chelsea fans, giving them a real reason to want to make qualification a regular thing.

FIFA eyeing 48-team Club World Cup, UEFA won’t oppose expansion

After winning the Champions League in 2021, Chelsea participated in the event held in the United States. The limited qualification routes meant big names like Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich were left out.

But according to The Guardian, FIFA are looking to expand the tournament even further before the 2029 edition, with UEFA reportedly not planning to block any proposed changes.

Bringing more top European teams into the fold would quiet any talk about Chelsea having an easy path to last year’s final.

Chelsea reached the final by beating Palmeiras in Estevao Willian’s last match for them and then taking down Thiago Silva’s Fluminense thanks to a Joao Pedro double. Even as the tournament looks set to grow stronger, it’s still unclear if Chelsea will be part of the next edition.

Chelsea’s place at 2029 tournament still not confirmed

Normally, winners of European competitions automatically qualify for next year’s edition, unless they’ve already booked their place through another route.

But so far there hasn’t been any official word that Chelsea will be part of the next Club World Cup, even though they won it in its debut year.

The tournament is still finding its feet since being introduced recently, and it wouldn’t seem right if Chelsea had to qualify again while holding onto their title from 2028.