Chelsea have announced their 28-man squad for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, with new signings Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr, and Dario Essugo included.
Notably absent from the traveling group are Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, and Ben Chilwell.
The west London club will begin their campaign on June 16 against Mexican side Club Leon in Atlanta.
Delap, who officially joined Chelsea from Ipswich Town on June 4, has been selected for the tournament instead of representing England at the Under-21 European Championship. He is joined by fellow new arrivals Sarr and Essugo, reflecting Chelsea’s continued squad overhaul under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Among the exclusions, Sterling stands out. The England winger, who signed from Manchester City in 2022, spent last season on loan at Arsenal and is not part of head coach Enzo Maresca’s plans for the Club World Cup. Felix, signed permanently from Atlético Madrid in 2024 following an earlier loan spell, also misses out after a loan stint at AC Milan in the second half of last season.
Axel Disasi, who made 37 appearances for Chelsea after arriving in 2023, is another notable omission. He was loaned to Aston Villa in January and will not feature in the tournament. Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell has also been left out of the squad, though Christopher Nkunku, whose long-term Chelsea future remains uncertain, has been included.
Chelsea also confirmed that Jadon Sancho has returned to Manchester United following the conclusion of his loan spell. The Blues opted not to make the move permanent, and Sancho announced his departure via social media last week.
Chelsea’s 28-Man Club World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Mike Penders, Gabriel Slonina
Defenders: Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Mamadou Sarr, Trevor Chalobah, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Aaron Anselmino, Josh Acheampong
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernandez
Forwards: Pedro Neto, Liam Delap, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Tyrique George, Marc Guiu
