FIFA and Barcelona: The intriguing reason why the Club World Cup invitation is still pending—and no Lionel Messi reunion yet
As anticipation builds for the expanded 2025 Club World Cup, fans around the globe are marking their calendars for what promises to be a landmark summer in the United States. Featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs and $1 billion in prize money, this month-long tournament aims to crown a true champion of world soccer between June 14 and July 13. Hosted across iconic cities from Atlanta to Seattle, the competition is a bold new step for FIFA—and one that many hoped would include a possible romantic reunion between Lionel Messi and his former club, Barcelona.
But that dream may have to wait. Despite growing speculation and a vacancy in the tournament roster, Barcelona has not been invited. And the reason is more complicated than fans might expect.
New era for clubs, but not for Barcelona
The revamped Club World Cup is designed to showcase sustained excellence over time, not just one-off flashes of brilliance. While Messi is confirmed to feature with Inter Miami, Barca’s absence has drawn particular attention. Their fans had hoped that a gap left by another club might give the Catalans a backdoor into the tournament. Those hopes have been dashed—at least for now.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, “FIFA has not extended an invitation to the Spanish heavyweights after Mexican side Club Leon were removed from the tournament for violating multi-club ownership rules.”
This situation began when Club Leon, a top Mexican team, was removed from the tournament due to their shared ownership with Pachuca, another participant. The violation of FIFA’s multi-club ownership regulations forced Leon out, but their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has frozen any attempt to replace them until a ruling is made on May 6.
In the meantime, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that the vacant spot will likely be filled through a playoff between Club America and Los Angeles FC, rather than offering the position outright to a European club like Barcelona.
Why Barcelona looks less likely to make the cut
While fans may argue Barcelona deserves a place based on their current form—leading La Liga, in the Copa del Rey final, and in the Champions League semifinals—FIFA’s selection criteria tell a different story.
The European spots for the 2025 Club World Cup were allocated based on UEFA coefficients and performances from 2021 to 2024, not just the current campaign. “Barcelona were eliminated in the Champions League group stages in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and didn’t perform well in the Europa League either,” explained Diario AS.
Because of this, the Blaugrana failed to qualify on sporting merit, and, crucially, no European team was disqualified, meaning there was no regulatory basis for inviting them to fill Leon’s spot.
Even if FIFA were to consider it, the Catalans would not push for an invite. “The club won’t push for inclusion in the tournament,” reported Diario AS. “They are aware of the regulations and understand they have not earned their place through sporting performance.”