The event can be held within the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, utilizing 12 stadiums in 11 totally different cities. The ultimate can be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the identical stadium that can play host to the 2026 World Cup ultimate.
The highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup draw took place on December 5, 2024, revealing exciting matchups for the 2025 tournament. The new format features 32 teams, including two Premier League teams and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. Messi’s USA club will kick start the newly shaped tournament against Egypt’s Al Ahly on June 15, 2025. Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Neymar, who is with Al-Hilal, will have a reunion with La Liga rivals and European champions Real Madrid in Group H.
Lionel Messi’s return vs European teams
Lionel Messi, a three-time Club World Cup winner, is set to face European teams again with Inter Miami. Messi’s team secured a spot in the tournament by winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield. The Argentine legend will join other top players like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in the competition. Ever since his move to the USA, we haven’t seen Messi clash against European teams, and this competition will satisfy that want for the fans. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr failed to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Groups and Pots
The 32 teams were divided into four pots based on their rankings. The pots are as follows:
- Pot 1: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, Fluminense
- Pot 2: Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, Salzburg
- Pot 3: Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Al Ahly, Wydad, Monterrey, Club Leon, Boca Juniors, Botafogo
- Pot 4: Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, Auckland City, Inter Miami
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FIFA Club World Cup Groups
- Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
- Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
- Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
- Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
- Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
- Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
- Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
- Group H: Real Madrid, Al-Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
FIFA Club World Cup: Tournament Format
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature 32 top teams from around the globe, competing in 63 matches over 28 days in the United States. The tournament’s format is reminiscent of the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup, with teams divided into eight groups of four. Each team will face the others in their group before advancing to a thrilling knockout stage to determine the world’s best club team over the past four seasons.
The 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage, which includes the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. No group can feature more than one team from the same confederation, except for UEFA (Europe), which has 12 representatives. Additionally, teams from the same member association cannot be grouped together.
Manchester City are the current Club World Cup champions, having won the title in 2023 by defeating Fluminense 4-0 in the final.
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