What Chelsea Need to Qualify for Club World Cup Knockout Stages | OneFootball

After securing Champions League football on the final day of the 2024–25 Premier League season and later winning the UEFA Conference League, Chelsea entered the revamped Club World Cup with plenty of momentum.

However, Enzo Maresca’s Blues have so far flattered to deceive in the United States—as they did for a large portion of the Italian’s debut season. Sure, LAFC were bypassed with some ease in their opening game and Pedro Neto continued his bright start to the summer early on Matchday 2, but Chelsea had no answer for Flamengo’s impressive second-half fightback.

That result leaves the Blues with work to do if they’re to advance into the knockout stages of the tournament. One group game remains, and this is what they need to book their place in the round of 16.

Club World Cup Group D Table

How Chelsea Can Finish Top of Group D

Flamengo roared back to beat Chelsea 3–1 on Matchday 2. / IMAGO/Nicolo Campo

Flamengo’s 3–1 victory over the Blues on Matchday 2 means they’ve already secured their spot in the round of 16 as group winners.

With head-to-head being the first tie-breaker in determining group position if two teams or more are level on points, there’s no way for Chelsea to usurp Filipe Luís’s men. Flamengo are three points clear after beating ES Tunis 2–0 on Matchday 1, and they’ll be expected to finish the group with a 100% record.

How Chelsea Can Finish Second in Group D

Chelsea face ES Tunis in a shootout to advance. / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Maresca’s men are thus vying for a second-place finish when they take on ES Tunis on Tuesday night. It’s a direct shootout between the two teams after the North African side downed LAFC 1–0 in their second group game.

In the event of a draw, Chelsea will advance due to their superior goal difference. Both teams succumbed to two-goal defeats to Flamengo, but the Blues beat LAFC 2–0 in their opening group game. They have a one-goal advantage over their upcoming opponents.

A Chelsea win sees them through in second, but a shock defeat will result in their elimination.

Who Could Chelsea Play in Club World Cup Last 16?

Bayern Munich are Chelsea’s most likely opponents in the next phase. / IMAGO/Sportimage

If Chelsea secure a positive result in Philadelphia and qualify for the last 16 of the Club World Cup, an almighty test could await.

Group D’s runner-up will face the winner of Group C, and it looks like that will be Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions merely need to avoid defeat against Benfica, whom they’ve never lost to in 13 meetings, in their final group game to win the group.

However, an upset Benfica triumph will pit the Blues against the Portuguese side if they get the job done at Lincoln Financial Field. Their round of 16 duel will take place in Charlotte, but they’ll be back in Philly should they advance into the quarterfinals.