December 6 – In a televised event live from Miami, that featured a pre-recorded address from US president elect Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka drawing the first team, FIFA’s Club World Cup has completed its group draw stage, the first-ever for its 32-team format.
Current Club World Cup champions Manchester City will face Juventus in Group G. Last year Pep Guardiola’s team beat Fluminense in the seven-team version of FIFA’s competition that is generally unloved by European clubs though easily won by them in 16 of the last at editions.
The 2022 champions Real Madrid have an easier looking schedule in group H with Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal potentially their biggest rivals at the opening stage. The two clubs met in what is probably the most entertaining final the competition has ever seen with Real Madrid eventually winning 5-3.
Chelsea, winners in 2021, face Brazilian giants Flamengo, as well as Mexico’s Club Leon and Tunisian side Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in Group D.
Paris St Germain were matched with Atletico Madrid in Group B, while Bayern Munich meet Benfica in another all-European group-stage match-up.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, handed a spot through the back door by FIFA to make the tournament more commercial and attractive for local audiences, will open the tournament against Egypt’s Al Ahly in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium, while their game will be followed by Seattle Sounders in action at the Lumen Stadium in Seattle against Brazil’s Botafogo.
The top two teams from the eight groups will qualify for the Round of 16. The tournament kicks off on June 15, finishing at the MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 13 July 2025.
FIFA will make two visits to the West coast – to Seattle as mentioned and to the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Los Angeles. The Rose Bowl is the only stadium being used for the Club World Cup that won’t be used in 2026 for the World Cup.
While the Club World Cup is being played predominantly on the East coast, Concacaf will be playing its Gold Cup primarily based in the West but with it final in Houston.
In theory, the new-look Club World Cup ought to be an enticing prospect that sells itself: a month-long football festival, the first large-scale club tournament to feature teams from all corners of the globe.
Yet for many, FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s pet project is a tournament too far, an unwelcome addition to an already crowded global calendar that has prompted players’ unions to call for it to be scrapped.
Group draw:
Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, Club Leon
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, 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
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