Has an Major League Soccer team ever played in Club World Cup 2023?

The Seattle Sounders made MLS history as part of their participation in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup.

This year’s tournament, officially titled “2022” although it is being held in February 2023 thanks to delays in other competitions pushing the schedule back, will feature a Major League Soccer club for the first time ever.

By winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, the Seattle Sounders became the first American or Canadian club to feature in the event, as the Mexican sides previously enjoyed a stranglehold on the North American slot.

With the Club World Cup set to change drastically over the next few years, it’s unclear how that will affect participation in North America, but for now, the Sounders are the first of what Major League Soccer hopes will be many teams to achieve the prestigious title. FIFA tournament.

How do MLS teams qualify for the Club World Cup?

There are only two ways to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup in its current format. Of the seven teams participating in the event, six qualify as winners of their continental championship, while one qualifies as nominated by the host country.

So unless the United States or Canada are hosting the Club World Cup, the only way to qualify is to win the North American Club Championship, which comes in the form of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Mexican clubs have historically dominated this competition, which is why it has been so difficult for MLS sides to qualify for the FIFA tournament.