The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
Not sure what to make of the upcoming tournament? Well don’t worry, we take you through the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup basics right here! We also answer a question many have been asking, will there be a Club World Cup Fantasy game?
Get ready for a summer of football like no other as the FIFA Club World Cup undergoes a major transformation.
What is it?
This isn’t your grandfather’s Club World Cup; we’re talking about a 32-team tournament hosted in the United States, promising a global football festival.
The tournament will be played in a format that includes a group stage. Following that is a knockout phase culminating in a final on Sunday, July 13th. The new format ensures more teams from different confederations will have the chance to compete and vie for the title of the world’s best club.
The Club World Cup will feature 63 matches. All played across 12 venues in the United States. This includes five venues that will also be used for the 2026 World Cup.
When does it start?
The inaugural tournament begins on Saturday, June 14th, 2025 with an opening match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly FC
What is the tournament format?
The tournament will begin with a group stage where the 32 teams are divided into eight groups. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the knockout stages, with the tournament continuing until the final.
Which teams are participating?
The Club World Cup features 32 teams from across all international football federations. Here’s a breakdown of the participating teams by confederation, based on the sources:
- Asian Football Confederation (AFC): Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Ulsan HD
- Confederation of African Football (CAF): Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns
- Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF): Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC, Leon, Pachuca
- South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL): Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, River Plate, Boca Juniors
- Oceania Football Confederation (OFC): Auckland City
- Union of European Football Associations (UEFA): Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg
- Host: Inter Miami
Structure
32 teams have been drawn into eight groups. The top two teams from each group advance into the knockout stage. The following group match ups have been confirmed:
- Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
- Group B: PSG, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
- Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
- Group D: Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis, Chelsea, Leon
- Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
- Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns
- Group G: Manchester City, Wydad AC, Al Ain, Juventus
- Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Red Bull Salzburg
Fixture locations?
The fixtures are going to be held across 12 venues in the United States. The opening match will take place at Hard Rock Stadium, while MetLife Stadium will host the final, two semi-finals and one of the quarter-finals.
Will there be a Fantasy game?
It is unclear on whether there will be a fantasy football game based on the FIFA Club World Cup. FIFA are yet to mention anything about a potential game.
However, it is worth remembering that FIFA hosted a World Cup fantasy game for the previous competition. This is a positive sign that they are aware of how important fantasy games have become to the footballing community.
We can also see from the image below that FIFA have already built a play zone for the Club World Cup. In that play zone there are several games to play already built. This is a good indication that FIFA want to gamify the upcoming tournament.
Over at Fantasy Football Community, we will bring you the latest news ahead of the new competition. This also includes news around a new fantasy game if confirmed.
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