Chelsea 2025 Club World Cup Squad: £226 Million Left at Home | OneFootball

Chelsea will be aiming to ride a wave of positivity into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as they attempt to leave their mark on the reformatted tournament in the United States.

Qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Europa Conference League made for the perfect end to the 2024–25 campaign for the Blues, with Enzo Maresca managing to come through some troubling periods in his debut season to win over supporters.

Those of a Chelsea persuasion will be watching on with renewed confidence as their star-studded squad travels to the United States hunting for more silverware. Unlike others in the competition, strength in depth is certainly not a concern for the Blues.

Here’s the latest news on Chelsea’s squad selection for the Club World Cup.

Club World Cup Squad Rules

Clubs competing at the Club World Cup are required to register a squad of between 26 and 35 players for the tournament. That official roster was submitted to FIFA on June 10 after the first of the summer transfer windows shut.

However, there is a second registration period for Club World Cup sides between June 27 and July 3, which allows teams to add no more than six players to their squads. They can replace players who have departed due to expired contracts and are also permitted to add two players that don’t count towards the 35-player squad size limit.

Players added will only be allowed to feature in a match if FIFA is notified at least 48 hours before kick-off, while players can’t represent more than one club at the competition.

Chelsea’s Full 28-Man Squad for Club World Cup

Chelsea have officially confirmed their travelling squad for the Club World Cup, with Enzo Maresca selecting 28 players for matches with Los Angeles FC, Flamengo and Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

New Signings

Liam Delap will be involved at the Club World Cup. / X / Chelsea

As usual, Chelsea have been busy in the transfer window. The club’s most high-profile new recruit is Liam Delap, who signed from Ipswich Town for £30 million ($40.6 million) earlier this month. There were concerns over his involvement due to his expected participation for England at the Under-21 European Championship, but he’s been omitted from the national team squad to allow him to feature at the Club World Cup.

Chelsea’s wonderkid accumulation policy has been carried forward into this summer’s transfer window, with Dário Essugo and Mamadou Sarr signed from Sporting CP and BlueCo-owned Strasbourg respectively. Both featured in the Club World Cup squad, as does Andrey Santos, who signed for the Blues in 2023 but should finally make his debut for the club in the United States.

Goalkeeper Mike Penders is unlikely to get much game time at the tournament but has been selected. The 19-year-old Belgian was signed last summer but spent the 2024–25 campaign on loan at Genk.

Notable Omissions

João Félix won’t be involved for Chelsea in the U.S. / IMAGO/PA Images

Despite Chelsea being able to travel with 35 players, there are still some brutal cuts to the Club World Cup squad. Djordje Petrovic has been omitted as Maresca looks to trim his cohort of goalkeepers, while young Kendry Páez misses out ahead of an expected loan move to Strasbourg in the near future. Mathis Amougou has been left out as he will be sent out on loan next term.

Other than Santos, Chelsea’s returning loanees will not feature at the Club World Cup, meaning there is no place for Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and João Félix. Despite uncertainty over his future, Christopher Nkunku will be on the plane, but his compatriot Wesley Fofana misses out through injury.

Estêvão Willian has been left out of the squad, too. The Brazilian, who signed last summer for Chelsea, will team up with the Blues after the Club World Cup and will represent Palmeiras at the tournament.