CHELSEA are in line for a massive £50million cash boost – after Fifa confirmed the Blues have qualified for the first expanded version of the Club World Cup.
World chiefs meeting in Rwanda agreed the qualification format for the 32-team event, starting in 2025 and likely to be held in China.
Europe has been given the largest share with 12 slots with Fifa’s ruling Council agreeing that qualification would run over the four year cycle from the 2020-21 to 2023-24 seasons.
It means the four Champions League winners over those seasons, plus the next eight leading sides on Uefa’s four-year coefficient rankings system, will earn berths for the money-laden new competition.
Chelsea’s 2021 Final win over Manchester City means they are now guaranteed a spot, alongside Real Madrid, to be joined by the next two winners of Europe’s biggest prize.
No country can have more than two places through the coefficient table but as it stands Liverpool and Manchester City would qualify.
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However, if Liverpool miss out on a European spot for next season, that would open the door for Manchester United to replace them by reaching the knock-out stage of the Champions League.
Fifa is also revamping its current smaller version of the Club World Cup, which will continue to be played annually but rebranded and with the Champions League winner automatically through to the Final.
World chiefs also finally agreed the “International Match Calendar” dates for international qualifiers to start in 2025.
It will mean a four-match and 16-day window for games stretching between late September and early October from 2026, rather than the current two separate breaks.
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Nine day breaks, for two matches, will continue to be held in March, June and November, meaning 10 international games outside of tournaments per year.
Meanwhile, recalled Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella hopes to revive his Spain career too.
Cucurella hopes to take on Erling Haaland’s Norway in the opening Euro 2024 qualifier on Saturday, March 25.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
