In the summer of 2025, it’s time for the FIFA Club World Cup, where the world’s best clubs compete for the trophy in an all-new format. Here’s everything you need to know:
FIFA has pumped big money into the concept, which has made clubs like Real Madrid take the tournament seriously. There will be cash prizes a billion dollars. As it looks now, the Club World Cup is going from being completely unexciting to a big event.
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Basic information
- Location: United States (11 cities)
- Opening match: 15 June (mid-Norwegian time) in Miami
- Number of participants: 32 teams
- Round of 16: June 28 – July 1
- Quarter-finals: 4 and 5 July
- Semi-finals: 8 and 9 July
- Final: July 13 in New York
New format for Club World Cup 2025
The tournament has undergone a major change and will now bring together the best clubs from all six continental federations: AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania) and UEFA (Europe).
- From 7 to 32 teams: Previously, only seven teams participated, but from 2025 it will expand to 32.
- Four-year cycle: The tournament is no longer held annually, but every four years.
When and where will the Club World Cup 2025 be played?
- Duration: 14 June – 13 July 2025
- Venues: 12 different stadiums in the United States
Which teams are participating?
Each country can normally only field two teams, but exceptions are made if more than two clubs from the same nation have won their continental championships between 2021 and 2024.
Distribution of layers:
- UEFA (12 teams): The last four Champions League winners, plus the top eight clubs based on results over the last four years.
- CONMEBOL (6 teams): The last four winners of the Copa Libertadores, plus two other top teams.
- CONCACAF (4 teams): The last four winners of the CONCACAF Champions League.
- CAF (4 teams): The last four winners of the African Champions League.
- AFC (4 teams): The last four winners of Asia’s Champions League.
- OFC (1 team): Best team from Oceania’s Champions League in the last four years.
- Host nation (1 team): A club from the United States.
Teams qualify via UEFA’s four-year ranking (2021–2024).
Club World Cup 2025 Groups
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE Palmeiras | Paris Saint-Germain | Bayern Munich | Flamengo |
| FC Porto | Atlético Madrid | Auckland City | Espérance Tunis |
| Al Ahly | Botafogo | Boca Juniors | Chelsea |
| Inter Miami | Seattle Sounders | Benfica | Club León |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Plate | Fluminense | Manchester City | Real Madrid |
| Urawa Red Diamonds | Borussia Dortmund | Wydad AC | Al Hilal |
| CF Monterrey | Ulsan HD | Al Ain FC | CF Pachuca |
| Inter Milan | Mamelodi Sundowns | Juventus | RB Salzburg |
Schedule
The official match line-up can be seen here.
- Opening Match: Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami
The matches will be shown on NRK and Viaplay.
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