The FIFA Club World Cup is a worldwide competition that opposes the top clubs from each region to determine the best club team in the world. Each region is represented by the winners of their respective Champions League competitions.
Morocco hosted the 2014 edition of the tournament in December, with Spain’s Real Madrid taking home the title, topping Impact DP Ignacio Piatti’s former team, San Lorenzo, 2-0.
Let’s take a look at all six regional tournaments to decide the contending teams in the 2015 Club World Cup.
CONCACAF
The CONCACAF Champions League is organized by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) since 1962 for the top football clubs in the region.
The tournament consists of two stages. The group stage is played from August to October, in which there are eight groups of three teams each. The eight group winners enter the knockout phase, which spans from February through May. Unlike its European and South American counterparts, the winners of the CONCACAF Champions League do not automatically qualify for the following season's competition.
Mexico’s Cruz Azul is the reigning champion and has won the most championships of the 24 team tournament with six.
Along with the Impact, Mexican powerhouses Pachuca - its quarterfinal opponents - and America, along with MLS club D.C. United, all remain in the hunt for the title this year.
CAF
The CAF Champions League is run by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) where the top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate.
There are 52 teams that take part in the tournament. Egypt’s El Ahly was this past edition’s representative and is the most decorated team in this competition with eight titles.
Qualifying for the CAF 2015 Champions League begins in February.
AFC
The AFC Champions League represents the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). A total of 47 clubs compete in the tournament. Clubs from Asia's strongest national leagues receive automatic berths, with clubs from other nations eligible to qualify via the qualifying playoffs.
The current champions are from Australia, the Western Sydney Wanderers, but the most decorated team is from South Korea, Pohang Steelers, with three titles.
Qualifying for the 2015 AFC Champions League also begins in February.
UEFA
The UEFA Champions League is the best known of these tournaments, boasting some of the World’s biggest clubs from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, pitting almost 80 teams against one another, starting with a playoff format prior to group stage play.
Spain’s Real Madrid is the most titled team with 10 and is the current champion. With the number of teams involved in this tournament, qualifying began in June 2014 and extends through an entire calendar year until June 2015. The UEFA Champions League tournament is currently in the knockout phase, round of 16 with the likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain still in the mix.
OFC
The OFC Champions League, also known as the O-League, is organized by the OFC, Oceania's football governing body, with 15 teams participating. New Zealand’s Auckland City is the top team with six championships and competed in Morocco as 2014 champs.
The OFC Champions League preliminary round was played in October 2014, with the group stage set for April 2015.
CONMEBOL
The Copa Libertadores de América is the Champions League tournament organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. The tournament is named in honor of the Libertadores (Spanish and Portuguese for liberators), the main leaders of the South American wars of independence.
With 47 teams participating, Argentina’s Independiente has the most championships with seven.
The Copa Libertadores is currently out of season, with the 2015 edition set to kick off in January, and the champion being crowned in August.
