Lionel Messi could grace the new-look Club World Cup amid speculation that Inter Miami are set to take one of the final few places left up for grabs.
The United States will host the expanded tournament next summer, with 32 teams from around the world – including Chelsea and Manchester City – set to play off to be crowned world champions.
The various confederations around the world have each be allocated differing numbers of slots at the competition, which have been handed out based on different criteria largely based on performance in continental club competitions like the Champions League.
Inter Miami reportedly set to be confirmed for Club World Cup… despite lack of clear criteria
FIFA’s new Club World Cup has come under staunch criticism
North and Central America and the Caribbean will be represented by the last four winners of the CONCACAF Champions Cup: that’s Mexican sides Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca, as well as MLS outfit Seattle Sounders.
However, FIFA left one place open for an MLS team to qualify as hosts…although neither organisation appears to have actually confirmed how, exactly, that team would be selected.
Lionel Messi has been at Inter Miami since 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Some MLS fans have been left a bit miffed by that, conspiratorially theorising that leaving the qualification criteria unstated was a means of finding a way to insert Inter Miami into the competition one way or the other – and ensure Messi would be at the tournament.
Give Me Sport now report that indeed, Inter Miami are ‘likely to be confirmed as the host representative’ after ensuring they will finish the regular MLS season top of the table.
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Inter Miami’s dramatic 3-2 victory over second-placed Columbus Crew means they now have an unassailable lead, earning them the Supporters’ Shield for the 2024 season.
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If and when Inter Miami are confirmed, it will leave just one more place to be set in stone, which will be taken by the winners of this year’s Copa Libertadores (or Paraguayan side Olimpia if River Plate win it, since the latter have already qualified).
The full list of qualified teams so far is as follows, with only two non-Confederation title winning side permitted per country:
AFC: Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Al Ain (UAE), Ulsan HD (South Korea)
CAF: Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad (Morocco), Eseperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
CONCACAF: Monterrey (Mexico), Seattle Sounders (USA), Leon (Mexico), Pachuca (Mexico)
UEFA: Chelsea (England), Real Madrid (Spain), Manchester City (England), Bayern Munich (Germany), PSG (France), Inter (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Benfica (Portugal), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Juventus (Italy), Atletico Madrid (Spain), Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
