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The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup represents a pivotal moment in global club football. For the first time, the prestigious club competition will be expanded from 24 clubs (from every continent) and moved to a month-long weekly scheduled summer window. The tournament will be hosted in the United States from mid-June to mid-July 2025 (officially June 14–July 13). Previously played in a small winter format, this edition is FIFA’s quadrennial flagship event and features juggernauts from Europe, South America, North America, Asia, and Africa. FIFA Club World cup’s announcement to reshape the event was made years earlier as part of a push to globalize the sport. For context, Manchester City is the defending champion, having won the 2023 edition. The expanded format and record $1 billion prize fund mean that global superstars like Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Erling Haaland (Man City), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) and more will have a chance to compete for the title.
FIFA Club World cup Tournament Overview and Context
The 2025 edition is the 21st Club World Cup, and the first under the significantly expanded format. The tournament, which will take place every four years and not annually, will replace the previous seven-team format with a World Cup-style format: 32 clubs in eight groups of four, followed by knockout rounds. A total of 63 matches will take place in 12 U.S. venues (in 11 cities), beginning with group-stage games and culminating with the final at MetLife Stadium (NJ). While previous editions included only continental champions plus a host team, bringing the total to seven clubs, the new structure of the FIFA Club World cup allows several other top clubs to be invited. The expanded tournament format, approved by the FIFA Club World cup Council, is meant to be a global showcase for elite club soccer.
FIFA Club World cup Participating Teams and Groups
The FIFA Club World cup’s 32 tournament spots are filled by each of the continental champions as well as an additional number of qualifiers. The tournament spots come from the following confederations and allocation: UEFA (Europe) 12 teams, CONMEBOL (South America) 6, CONCACAF (North/Central America) 5 (including host USA), AFC (Asia) 4, CAF (Africa) 4, and OFC (Oceania). Among qualifier clubs are the 2024 champions of the continental championships (e.g., Champions League, Libertadores, etc.) and other top teams from Europe and South America, based on performance ranking. Notable entrants include past champions Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, consistent finalists River Plate and Flamengo and Inter Miami (USA) as the host for MLS and its representative. The 32 clubs will be drawn in eight official groups (A–H). The original draw produced the following group distribution
- Group A: Palmira’s (Brazil, CONMEBOL), FC Porto (Portugal, UEFA), Al Ahly (Egypt, CAF), Inter Miami (USA, CONCACAF).
- Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (France, UEFA), Atlético Madrid (Spain, UEFA), Botafogo (Brazil, CONMEBOL), Seattle Sounders (USA, CONCACAF).
- Group C: Bayern Munich (Germany, UEFA), Benfica (Portugal, UEFA), Boca Juniors (Argentina, CONMEBOL), Auckland City (New Zealand, OFC).
- Group D: Flamengo (Brazil, CONMEBOL), Chelsea (England, UEFA), Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia, CAF), LAFC (USA, CONCACAF).
- Group E: River Plate (Argentina, CONMEBOL), Inter Milan (Italy, UEFA), CF Monterrey (Mexico, CONCACAF), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan, AFC).
- Group F: Fluminense (Brazil, CONMEBOL), Borussia Dortmund (Germany, UEFA), Ulsan Hyundai (Korea, AFC), Mamelodi Sundown’s (South Africa, CAF).
- Group G: Manchester City (England, UEFA), Juventus (Italy, UEFA), Wydah AC (Morocco, CAF), Al Ain (UAE, AFC).
- Group H: Real Madrid (Spain, UEFA), FC Salzburg (Austria, UEFA), Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia, AFC), Pachuca (Mexico, CONCACAF)
FIFA Club World cup Tournament Structure and Schedule
The tournament begins with round-robin games in each section and 6 matches per section. The best two teams from each section will continue to a knockout phase, where there will be 16 teams in total. The group winners were a mixed bag, with winners matching up against runners-up from other groups from the round of 16 onwards (winners reach the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals) (there is no third place match this year – unlike previous World cup editions). The bracket is all straight elimination, so each knockout game was win or go home.
All 63 matches take place in the USA from June 14 to July 13, 2025, FIFA.com. The 12 stadiums in 11 cities (default Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for opening match, MetLife in New Jersey for the final). There was an official announcement and draw in 2024 from FIFA Club World cup concerning matchups and schedules. Teams can expect to make long-distance travel within North America, but teams typically expect a reasonable opportunity despite their travel distances.
