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Why Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool aren't playing in the Club World Cup

The 2025 Club World Cup is set to be a tournament we have never seen in football before - but some big teams are missing.

The competition has been expanded to include 32 teams from across the world and it will now take place every four years.

Man United aren't part of the Club World Cup

Man United aren't part of the Club World CupCredit: Getty

Premier League champions Liverpool aren't playing either

Premier League champions Liverpool aren't playing eitherCredit: Getty

This means even more of the elite clubs from around the globe are coming up against each other, aiming to get their hands on some silverware and a whopping amount of prize money.

The tournament is taking place in the United States this summer and officially gets going on June 15.

From the Premier League, Manchester City and Chelsea have been preparing to get their group stage started.

But Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool aren't involved...

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Why are Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal not in the Club World Cup?

FIFA rules for the Club World Cup state that only two teams from each country can take part in the tournament.

12 places were handed out to teams in Europe and they were decided by the clubs’ performances in the Champions League over the last four seasons.

Because Man City and Chelsea have won the Champions League in that time, they take up the two English spots in the competition.

Liverpool reached the final in 2022, but that still wasn’t good enough to displace City and the Blues, who won it in 2023 and 2021, respectively.

Man United and Arsenal had to win the Champions League two seasons ago to qualify, but neither of them managed to do so.

It meant that all three of the Premier League giants missed out, and therefore they aren't part of the 2025 Club World Cup.

Arsenal aren't in the USA for the tournament

Arsenal aren't in the USA for the tournamentCredit: Getty

The same UEFA ranking rules and two-team restrictions have seen some other European big-hitters miss out.

Barcelona, AC Milan, Napoli, RB Leipzig and Sevilla aren't playing in the tournament either.

Clubs that are in the USA include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

Benfica, Porto, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Red Bull Salzburg make up the 12 European representatives in the competition.

Four teams from Asia, Africa and the North and Central America federation are also playing along with six from South America and one from Oceania.

A place in the Club World Cup was reserved for a team from the host nation too, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will be involved because of that.

Club World Cup: Groups

Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami

Group B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica

Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, LAFC

Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg

Inter Miami were chosen by FIFA to feature after they won the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, but it was seen as a controversial inclusion due to them not being MLS champions.

It means Messi is there, but he won’t be coming up against Man United, Arsenal or Liverpool, who will all watch on from home.

Chelsea and Man City get their campaigns started very soon.

The Blues will face Flamengo, LAFC and Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in their group matches, while City will be taking on Juventus, Wydad and Al Ain.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT.com will have live commentary of fixtures throughout the tournament this summer.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.