AFP Sports has listed the 5 most unfortunate absences in this year's tournament.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Liverpool will not be able to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, like Barcelona and Napoli because of the complicated scoring process. That means Mohamed Salah will not have the opportunity to participate in this tournament.
This past season, Salah set a Premier League record with 29 goals and 18 assists, making a huge contribution to Liverpool's championship.
The absence of Salah and other big Liverpool stars like Virgil van Dijk in the US tournament is a regrettable thing for fans.
Liverpool's transfer target, Florian Wirtz will also be absent from the Club World Cup because his team, Bayer Leverkusen, is not qualified.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
No player in the world football world this season has brought more excitement than Barcelona's 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal.
The Spaniard has been in impressive form for his club this season and is one of the candidates for the Ballon d'Or.
Yamal is considered one of the most attractive players in contemporary football. He is often compared to Lionel Messi. However, with not being able to appear in the US, Yamal missed the opportunity to compete with Messi - a player currently playing for Inter Miami.
In addition to Yamal, fans cannot admire the talents of Raphinha, Pedri or Lewandowski, players who have played very well with Barca last season.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
Messi will also not have to face his long-time opponent Ronaldo in the US. The Portuguese star is said to have made moves to find a way to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
But in the end, that did not happen. Speaking after winning the Nations League with Portugal, Ronaldo affirmed that he will stay at Al Nassr club.
"Some teams have contacted me. Some are reasonable, some are not, but you can't try to do everything," Ronaldo shared meaningfully.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
The team that reached the Champions League semi-finals was Arsenal, which was also not allowed to participate in the World Club Championship. The Gunners have shown great progress in recent years, but the number of titles they have won is very small.
That has left Arsenal star Saka unable to compete with the world's top players, as well as aim for a major trophy with his team.
Neymar (Santos)
The symbol of the Brazilian national team, Neymar, has struggled with injuries at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and returned to Santos in January 2025, hoping to regain his fitness and shine ahead of the World Cup next summer.
The 33-year-old striker, despite his decline in form due to age, remains one of the biggest names in football and his absence is also a commercial blow to the tournament.
"Neymar, what can I say about him? He is an excellent player, someone who for me, in my football cycle, is in the top three in the world, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi," said Brazilian midfielder Casemiro.
Neymar's presence will certainly help the tournament attract more spectators, especially when the organizers are having difficulty selling tickets.
All matches at the FIFA Club World Cup will be broadcast live on FPT Play.
