Club World Cup 2025 – Everything You Need to Know
2025 will be remembered as the year Liverpool won their 20th English league title, the year PSG won their first CL, and the year Harry Kane won his first-ever trophy with Bayern Munich. However, it will also be remembered as the year that ushered in a new era of the Club World Cup.
Taking place across June and July 2025, the new edition of the Club World Cup will welcome 32 of the biggest teams from across the world to compete for the ultimate honour. There will be representatives from each of the six international confederations. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about the tournament program.
Who is hosting the Club World Cup 2025?
The tournament is being hosted by the United States of America, with games taking place in Pasadena, East Rutherford, Charlotte, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Miami Gardens, Orlando, Nashville, Cincinnati, and Washington D.C.
When will it be played?
The 2025 Club World Cup in the US will take place between June 14 and July 13. The competition will kick off with Inter Miami CF (a club from the host nation) taking on Al Ahly. It will then culminate almost one month later on July 13 in East Rutherford at the MetLife Stadium for the final.
Which teams are playing in the Club World Cup?
The new expanded format sees a whopping 32 teams travel to the US this summer for the 2025 Club World Cup. For the past 19 tournaments before this, only six or seven teams have competed. Manchester City won the 2023 Club World Cup, which was the last iteration of the past format. Let’s take a look at our list of 32 competitors for this summer:
- Inter Miami CF (USA)
- Los Angeles FC (USA)
- Al Ahly FC (EGY)
- Wydad AC (MAR)
- Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN)
- Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA)
- Al Hilal (KSA)
- Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)
- Al Ain FC (UAE)
- Ulsan HD (KOR)
- Chelsea FC (ENG)
- Real Madrid CF (ESP)
- Manchester City (ENG)
- Bayern Munich (GER)
- Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
- Inter (ITA)
- FC Porto (POR)
- SL Benfica (POR)
- Borussia Dortmund (GER)
- Juventus FC (ITA)
- Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
- FC Salzburg (AUT)
- CF Monterrey (MEX)
- Seattle Sounders FC (USA)
- CF Pachuca (MEX)
- Auckland City FC (NZL)
- SE Palmeiras (BRA)
- CR Flamengo (BRA)
- Fluminense FC (BRA)
- Botafogo (BRA)
- CA River Plate (ARG)
- CA Boca Juniors (ARG)
How did these teams qualify for the Club World Cup?
The qualification process for the tournament is a little complicated, seeing as though there are representatives from all six international confederations. Europe were handed 12 slots, the most out of any confederation due to the size and success of European competition. South America was handed six spots, with Asia, Africa, and North America/Central America/the Caribbean getting four places each. Finally, Oceania was handed one qualification spot, while the host nation – in this case the United States of America – was also handed one additional slot.
It was decided that these qualification spots would be filled based on competitive performance over a four-year period from 2021 through to 2024. This included club rankings and continental titles won. For example, a European club could qualify by placing high in the European four-year rankings, or they could qualify by winning the CL over the past four seasons. If the same club won multiple titles in that time span, like Real Madrid, then the spare spot would be filled using rankings. A ban was placed on having more than two clubs per association, meaning only two PL teams could feature, for example. However, if three or more PL teams had won the CL in that time, all of them would be able to take part in the Club World Cup.
The rankings between 2021 and 2024 were determined by scoring how well teams have played in their continental competitions. A win in that time earns you three points, a draw earns a point, and progression to each new stage of the competition gets another three points. In the case of the European teams, the club coefficient rankings were used instead.
Host:
Inter Miami CF qualified from the host nation as winners of the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Europe:
Chelsea qualified as the 2020/21 Champions League winners.
Real Madrid qualified as the 2021/22 Champions Leaguewinners.
Manchester City qualified as the 2022/23 Champions Leaguewinners.
Bayern Munich qualified as the best-ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
PSG qualified as the second-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Borussia Dortmund qualified as the third-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Inter qualified as the fourth-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Porto qualified as the fifth-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Atlético Madrid qualified as the sixth-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Benfica qualified as the seventh-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Juventus qualified as the eighth-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Red Bull Salzburg qualified as the ninth-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
South America:
Palmeiras qualified as the winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores.
Flamengo qualified as the winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores.
Fluminense qualified as the winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores.
Botafogo qualified as the winners of the 2024 Copa Libertadores.
River Plate qualified as the best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Boca Juniors qualified as the second-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
North America/Central America/the Caribbean:
Monterrey qualified as the winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League.
Seattle Sounders FC qualified as the winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
Pachuca qualified as the winners of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Los Angeles FC qualified via a special play-off.
Africa:
Al Ahly qualified as the winners of the 2020/21 CAF Champions League.
Wydad AC qualified as the winners of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League.
Espérance Sportive de Tunis qualified as the best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC qualified as the second-best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Asia:
Al-Hilal qualified as the winners of the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Urawa Red Diamonds qualified as the winners of the 2022 AFC Champions League.
Al Ain qualified as the winners of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League.
Ulsan HD qualified as the best ranked eligible team in the four-year ranking.
Oceania:
Auckland City qualified as the best OFC Champions League winners in the OFC four-year ranking.
Club World Cup Program: The Pots and Groups
The teams were split into four pots for the group stage draw, with the ‘biggest’ teams going into pots one and two. Every single European team was placed into the top two pots out of fairness, while the bottom two pots were made up of the ‘smaller’ teams from the other confederations.
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, and Inter Miami CF.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Botafogo, and Seattle Sounders FC.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, and Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, Espérance de Tunis, Chelsea, and Los Angeles FC.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, and Inter.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad AC, Al Ain, and Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, and Red Bull Salzburg.
Club World Cup Key Dates
The 2025 Club World Cup kicks off on June 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens with a match between America’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly. Teams in each group will play each other once in a round-robin, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout stages. Let’s take a look at the full Club World Cup Program and key dates to watch out for:
Saturday 14 June
Group A: Al Ahly vs Inter Miami CF
Sunday, 15 June
Group C: Bayern Munich vs Auckland City FC
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs Atlético de Madrid
Group A: SE Palmeiras vs FC Porto
Group B: Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders FC
Monday, 16 June
Group D: Chelsea vs Los Angeles FC
Group C: CA Boca Juniors vs SL Benfica
Group D: CR Flamengo vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis
Tuesday, 17 June
Group F: Fluminense FC vs Borussia Dortmund
Group E: CA River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds
Group F: Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns FC
Group E: CF Monterrey vs Internazionale
Wednesday, 18 June
Group G: Manchester City vs Wydad AC
Group H: Real Madrid vs Al Hilal
Group H: CF Pachuca vs FC Salzburg
Group G: Al Ain vs Juventus
Thursday, 19 June
Group A: SE Palmeiras vs Al Ahly
Group A: Inter Miami CF vs FC Porto
Group B: Seattle Sounders FC vs Atlético de Madrid
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs Botafogo
Friday, 20 June
Group C: SL Benfica vs Auckland City FC
Group D: CR Flamengo vs Chelsea
Group D: Los Angeles FC vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis
Group C: Bayern Munich vs CA Boca Juniors
Saturday, 21 June
Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns FC vs Borussia Dortmund
Group E: Internazionale vs Urawa Red Diamonds
Group F: Fluminense vs Ulsan HD
Group E: CA River Plate vs CF Monterrey
Sunday, 22 June
Group G: Juventus FC vs Wydad AC
Group H: Real Madrid vs CF Pachuca
Group H: FC Salzburg vs Al Hilal
Group G: Manchester City vs Al Ain FC
Monday, 23 June
Group B: Seattle Sounders FC vs Paris Saint-Germain
Group B: Atlético de Madrid vs Botafogo
Group A: Inter Miami CF vs SE Palmeiras
Group A: FC Porto vs Al Ahly
Tuesday, 24 June
Group C: Auckland City FC vs CA Boca Juniors
Group C: SL Benfica vs Bayern Munich
Group D: Los Angeles FC vs CR Flamengo
Group D: Espérance Sportive de Tunis vs Chelsea
Wednesday, 25 June
Group F: Borussia Dortmund vs Ulsan HD
Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns FC vs Fluminense
Group E: Internazionale vs CA River Plate
Group E: Urawa Red Diamonds vs CF Monterrey
Thursday, 26 June
Group G: Juventus vs Manchester City
Group G: Wydad AC vs Al Ain FC
Group H: Al Hilal vs CF Pachuca
Group H: FC Salzburg vs Real Madrid
Saturday, 28 June to Tuesday, 1 July: Round of 16
Friday, 4 July and Saturday, 5 July: Quarter-Finals
Tuesday, 8 July and Wednesday, 9 July: Semi-finals
Sunday, 13 July: Club World Cup Final
Which venues will be hosting the Club World Cup?
Twelve stadiums from eleven different American cities were selected for the Club World Cup tournament:
- Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Capacity of 67,500
- Audi Field in Washington D.C.: Capacity of 20,000
- Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington: Capacity of 69,000
- The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California: Capacity of 88,500
- TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio: Capacity of 26,000
- Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina: Capacity of 75,000
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia: Capacity of 71,000
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida: Capacity of 65,000
- Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee: Capacity of 30,000
- Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida: Capacity of 60,000
- Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida: Capacity of 25,500
- MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey: Capacity of 82,500
The opening fixture of the Club World Cup between America’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly will take place at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. One quarter-final, both semi-finals, and the final itself will all take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Last Updated: 06.06.2025
