Liverpool lose £150m chance and place in prestigious competition after Man City success

Liverpool have been denied a place in the proposed inaugural 32-team Club World Cup after Manchester City’s Champions League triumph.

Lifting Europe’s top title secured a place for Pep Guardiola’s men in the 2025 competition that will have prize money in the region of £150 million for the winners. City are thought to have already earned £294 million for winning a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble.

FIFA plan to award qualifying places to the four Champions League winners from 2021-2024. Chelsea, European champions in 2021, and 2022 winners Real Madrid have also qualified. Manchester United, Arsenal or Newcastle could add to the Premier League contingent by lifting the Champions League next season.

But Liverpool ’s failure to qualify for the Champions League after a fifth-placed finish means they will miss out on the prestige of a landmark event.

Eight more slots will be handed to European clubs by virtue of their UEFA coefficient. But, crucially, places in the tournament will be limited to just two per country – unless a nation is able to boast three different Champions League winners in the previous four years.

Thus, Chelsea and Man City will be England’s representatives as things stand. Liverpool currently lie fourth in the UEFA rankings – but will be competing in the Europa League next season

The current format sees seven teams from six confederations around the world compete in an annual knock-out tournament. City will travel to Saudi Arabia in December hoping to add a world title to their historic treble.