Olympique de Marseille faces qualification hurdles for 2029 Club World Cup

Olympique de Marseille (OM) faces a significant challenge in qualifying for the 2029 Club World Cup following a poor performance in the Champions League. UEFA has established the selection criteria for the 32-team tournament, which will include 12 European clubs.

Qualification is primarily reserved for the four most recent winners of the UEFA Champions League. Additionally, clubs with the best performance rankings over a four-year period will receive spots. However, UEFA has maintained a limit of two clubs per country, a rule that prevents leagues from sending more representatives even if they have higher-ranked teams.

While Paris Saint-Germain is positioned to participate, OM’s recent failure to finish within the top 24 of the Champions League's first phase has severely diminished their chances. Other French clubs, such as AS Monaco and LOSC, currently hold better positions in the UEFA rankings, potentially placing them ahead of OM in the race for qualification.