Four more clubs – Ulsan HD FC (KOR), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA), FC Salzburg (AUT) and Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) – are poised to claim their places at the inaugural 32-team Mundial de Clubes FIFA™ (FIFA Club World Cup 2025™) over the course of the next three weeks, while FC Barcelona (ESP) face another make-or-break tie in their bid to qualify.

The continental competitions resume from 29 March with quarter-finals in the CAF Champions League, Concacaf Champions Cup and UEFA Champions League, while the AFC Champions League is at the semi-final stage.

The first matches are in Africa where Al Ahly (EGY), CAF Champions League winners in 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, and Wydad Athletic Club (MAR), winners in 2021-2022, have already qualified as continental champions and will be joined by this year’s winners and one team via the ranking pathway. The latter will be either Mamelodi Sundowns or Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN), although both clubs will qualify if one or the other go on to lift the trophy, or if Al Ahly win the title for a record 12th time.

Mamelodi Sundowns, the most successful club in the South African Premier Division with 13 titles, will book their place if Espérance lose their quarter-final. The Shoe Shine and Piano face Young Africans SC (TAN) (30 March and 5 April) while four-time champions Espérance play AS des Employés de Commerce Mimosas (CIV) (30 March and 6 April). Furthermore, if Mamelodi lose their quarter-final with either a draw and defeat or two defeats and Espérance go through to the semi-finals with two victories, the Tunisian club would overtake their South African rivals in the rankings and therefore be guaranteed qualification.