Boca Juniors wait on FIFA Club World Cup destiny

Boca Juniors could join Argentinian rivals River Plate and Brazilian heavyweights Palmeiras, Flamengo and Fluminense at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ if results in the upcoming 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores Round of 16 second legs go their way.

The trio of clubs from Brazil clinched their places at the inaugural 32-team tournament thanks to each winning one of the last three editions of the Libertadores. River are certain to join them in the United States next year either as the 2024 South American champions or via the ranking pathway.

Boca can only rely on the latter route having failed to qualify for the 2024 continental competition, but their place would be assured if Talleres and Nacional are knocked out this week, with San Lorenzo already having fallen by the wayside after defeat by Atletico Mineiro.

With just two clubs per country able to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 outside of being continental champions, Talleres know they must lift the trophy at the final in Buenos Aires on 30 November if they want to join River as Argentina’s representatives in the tournament.

That is because Talleres can now no longer catch Boca via the ranking pathway, with those hopes disappearing after their 1-0 first-leg defeat to River. They play their second-leg tie on 21 August.

Nacional can claim one of South America’s two remaining qualifying spots by winning the 2024 title or by catching Boca in the rankings. To do that, they need 15 more points, which at the very least requires them to reach the semi-finals whilst recording a string of wins against Brazilian clubs en-route as – if they see off Round of 16 opponents Sao Paulo – either Botafogo or Palmeiras await in the quarter-finals.

Nacional would have replaced Paraguayan side Olimpia as the third best-ranked non-Brazilian side if they had won their first-leg encounter with Sao Paulo in Montevideo. The 0-0 draw means they now have 57 points – like Olimpia – but will move ahead of them by avoiding a second-leg defeat on 22 August, even if they are knocked out in a penalty shoot-out.

A third qualifying place via the ranking pathway would become available if former champions Palmeiras, Flamengo or Fluminense win the 2024 Libertadores. If River are crowned champions, the top two-ranked non-Brazilian sides would join them at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.