In short: no, the FIFA Club World Cup does not play every year anymore. SantaKick is here to guide you through how this global club tournament used to work, how it has changed, and what the schedule looks like.
What was the old format
The Club World Cup was held annually. Each winter (typically December), the winners of each of FIFA’s continental club championships (UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores, etc.) plus a host-club or two would compete to be crowned world club champion.
- It involved a smaller number of teams (often 7), knockout-style, sometimes with a preliminary round or play-in matches depending on the confederation.
So in that era, yes — it did play every year.
What changed — the new format
SantaKick will now explain how FIFA revamped the competition, and how that impacts whether it plays annually or not.
- Starting 2025, the Club World Cup switches to a quadrennial (every four years) model.
- The revamped tournament is expanded: 32 clubs will participate. They are drawn into eight groups of four; group stage is followed by Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
- Qualification is based on performance over multiple years in continental competitions. Some slots go to continental champions, others via rankings over a four-year period.
Why was the change made
There are several reasons behind the shift:
- Prestige: A tournament that occurs less frequently tends to gain more importance. Like the FIFA World Cup, which is held every four years, the Club World Cup aims to become a marquee event rather than one more competition in a crowded calendar.
- Commercial and broadcast value: Bigger tournaments with more clubs (especially from Europe and South America) attract more attention. Calendar congestion concerns: With many domestic, continental, and international matches, player welfare and scheduling have been under scrutiny. The annual version added strain. A quadrennial format is seen as a way to balance that.
What replaced the annual version
Since FIFA moved the Club World Cup to every four years (starting in 2025), there is something to note:
- FIFA introduced the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, which is an annual competition (from 2024 onward) involving the continental champions of the six confederations. This acts somewhat in place of the annual global club matchups that fans used to expect.
So while the Club World Cup pro.
The future schedule and what to expect
- 2025 is the first edition of the expanded format: 32 teams, every four years.
- After 2025, the next will be 2029, then 2033, etc., following the four-year cycle.
- In the years in between, the Intercontinental Cup gives clubs a chance for global competition annually.
Key things fans should know
- “Do Club World Cup play every year” is something people still search because of the old format. The answer changed: it was yes before 2025; now, no.
- If you’re following your club or continental competition, understand whether that leads to qualification for the quadrennial Club World Cup or the annual Intercontinental Cup.
- The match calendar, squad fatigue, and club priorities may shift because of this structural change.
Conclusion
Do Club World Cup play every year? Not any more. SantaKick has shown that while the Club World Cup used to be an annual event, from 2025 on it has become a quadrennial tournament. The expanded format with 32 clubs, bigger stakes, and higher prestige means it happens every four years. In the years between, continental champions meet in the Intercontinental Cup to keep international club competition alive annually.
If you want to stay updated on when your club might qualify, match schedules, top players in the next edition, or comparisons between the old and new formats—stick with SantaKick. Let us know what you’d like to explore next: histories of specific finals, player stats, clubs’ performances, whatever fuels your football passion.
