Let's say that collective liberation was finally achieved beginning in 2024, right before the five continental tournaments of the year (no correlation to the 2026 World Cup) and around two years before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A field of 96 national teams from the tournaments has been replaced with a field of 272 clubs. Of those, 98 are automatic qualifiers, being the champions of their respective nations. The 170 others have been given at-large berths thanks to their outstanding performances. This qualification process is a lot like the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
Europe will have 104 teams, the most of any continent.
AFC (25 automatic, 25 at-large)
Central Coast Mariners (automatic)
Al-Khaldiya (automatic)
Shanghai Port (automatic)
Lee Man (automatic)
Mohun Bagan (automatic)
Persib (automatic)
Persepolis (automatic)
Al-Shorta (automatic)
Vissel Kobe (automatic)
Al-Hussein (automatic)
Abdysh-Ata Kant (automatic)
Nejmeh (automatic)
Johor Darul Ta'zim (automatic)
Al-Seeb Club (automatic)
Jabal Al-Mukaber (automatic)
Khadamat Rafah (automatic)
Al Sadd (automatic)
Al Hilal (automatic)
Ulsan HD FC (automatic)
Al-Fotuwa SC (automatic)
Istiklol (automatic)
Buriram United (automatic)
Al Wasl (automatic)
Pakhtakor (automatic)
Thep Xanh Nam Dinh (automatic)
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CAF (24 automatic, 25 at-large)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
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CONCACAF (7 automatic, 9 at-large)
Forge FC (automatic)
Vancouver Whitecaps (automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
Columbus Crew (automatic)
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CONMEBOL (10 automatic, 16 at-large)
(automatic)
(automatic)
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OFC (8 automatic, 4 at-large)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
(automatic)
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UEFA (24 automatic, 80 at-large)
Egnatia (automatic)
SK Sturm Graz (automatic)
Club Brugge (automatic)
GNK Dinamo Zagreb (automatic)
AC Sparta Praha (automatic)
FC Midtjylland (automatic)
Manchester City (automatic)
Paris Saint-Germain (automatic)
Dinamo Batumi (automatic)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (automatic)
Ferencvárosi TC (automatic)
Internazionale (automatic)
PSV (automatic)
Jagiellonia Białystok (automatic)
Sporting (automatic)
FCSB (automatic)
Celtic (automatic)
Crvena zvezda (automatic)
ŠK Slovan Bratislava (automatic)
NK Celje (automatic)
Real Madrid (automatic)
BSC Young Boys (automatic)
Galatasaray (automatic)
Shakhtar (automatic)
Liverpool (at-large)
Barcelona (at-large)
Arsenal (at-large)
Atlético de Madrid (at-large)
LOSC Lille (at-large)
Aston Villa (at-large)
Atalanta (at-large)
Borussia Dortmund (at-large)
FC Bayern (at-large)
AC Milan (at-large)
Benfica (at-large)
AS Monaco FC (at-large)
Stade brestois 29 (at-large)
Feyenoord (automatic)
Juventus (at-large)
VfB Stuttgart (at-large)
Bologna (at-large)
RB Leipzig (at-large)
Girona (at-large)
Red Bull Salzburg (at-large)
Lazio (at-large)
Manchester United (at-large)
Athletic Club (at-large)
Eintracht Frankfurt (at-large)
Olympique Lyonnais (at-large)
Olympiacos (at-large)
FK Bodø/Glimt (at-large)
RSC Anderlecht (at-large)
Ajax (at-large)
Real Sociedad (at-large)
Tottenham Hotspur (at-large)
Roma (at-large)
FC Viktoria Plzeň (at-large)
FC Porto (at-large)
AZ (at-large)
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Draw
Playoffs
Group stage
Round of 256
Round of 128
Round of 64
Knockout stage
Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
The Final Four will play their semifinal games abroad (unless one of the teams is from Madrid). The winners of each semifinal will go to Wembley for the final, while the losers too will go to London to play their bronze medal game at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.