The expanded FIFA Club World Cup will hold in 2025, with two Premier League teams – and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami – involved.
The new-format FIFA Club World Cup will feature thirty-two (32) teams and will be played every four years from the summer of 2025. It is an increase of the previous edition of the competition, which took place every year and encompassed only seven (7) teams from around the world.
What you need to know about the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
FIFA Club World Cup
Prior to its improved structure for the 2025 tournament, the Club World Cup took place every year in December and was contested by the Champions of continental club competitions from around the world.
For example, the Champions of the Champions League would take part in the tournament every year and face off against continental counterparts from South America (CONMEBOL), Oceania (OFC), Africa (CAF), North America (CONCACAF) and Asia (AFC).
Then, FIFA announced in December that the competition would be increased to thirty-two (32) club teams and would take place every four (4) years.
Date for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
The next FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled to take place over 29 days in the summer of 2025.
The tournament will kick off on June 15, with the final taking place on July 13.
Venue For the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
The 2025 Club World Cup will take place in the United States of America (USA) across the following stadiums:
- Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
- GEODIS Park (Nashville)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
- Lumen Field (Seattle)
- Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
- Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles)
Teams in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Europe will feature twelve (12) clubs in the 32-team tournament and the spaces are allocated based on performances in the Uefa Champions League over four seasons from 2020/21 up to and including this season.
For the 2025 competition, the Champions of the Uefa Champions League in the last three (3) seasons – Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City – will be joined by the best-performing teams in the tournament within the same period, with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan qualifying through the ranking route.
The Asian Football Confederation, North American Federation and the African Federation will feature four (4) teams each based on the winners and best-performing teams in their respective Champions League competitions, while the South American federation will feature six (6) teams who perform best in the Copa Libertadores.
One spot goes to one team from the Oceania Football Confederation – the best performing team in the OFC Champions League in the last four (4) years, with the final slot going to an additional team from the host nation. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami have taken that spot after clinching the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Argentine playmaker, Lionel Messi, has won the Club World Cup on three occasions – 2009, 2011, 2015 – however, while he is set to join the likes of Erling Braut Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in the United States (US), Cristiano Ronaldo will miss out as it stands, with Al Hilal the only Saudi Arabian club to qualify.
Los Angeles FC clinched. late entry to the competition after defeating Mexico’s Club America in a play-off on June 1 to decide who would replace Club Leon after they were removed for breaching multi-club ownership rules.
Qualified Teams for FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Europe:
- Manchester City
- Chelsea
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- Paris Saint-Germaine (PSG)
- Inter
- Porto
- Benfica
- Borussia Dortmund
- Juventus
- Red Bull Salzburg
- Atletico Madrid
South America
- River Plate
- Palmeiras
- Flamengo
- Fluminense
- Botafogo (Copa Libertadores winner)
- Boca Juniors
Oceania
- Auckland City
North America
- Los Angeles FC
- Seattle Sounders
- Pachuca
- Inter Miami (host nation slot)
- Los Angeles FC
Africa
- Mamelodi Sundowns
- Wydad
- Esperance de Tunis
- Al Ahly
Asia
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- Al Ain
- Ulsan HD
- Al Hilal
Prize Money for FIFA Club World Cup 2025
The winners of the FIFA Club World Cup will receive up to £97m ($125m) from FIFA.
Prize money of £774m ($1bn) is to go round between the 32 clubs – with a £406m ($525m) participation fee shared based on sporting and commercial criteria, and £368m ($475m) shared based on sporting performance.
FIFA will not be keeping any revenue and it is expected to split another £200m ($250m) with clubs across the world as solidarity payments.
Full Draw of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Group A: Palmeiras (Brz), Porto (Por), Al Ahly (Egy), Inter Miami (USA)
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (Fra), Atletico Madrid (Esp), Botafogo (Brz), Seattle Sounders (USA)
Group C: Bayern Munich (Ger), Benfica (Por), Boca Juniors (Arg), Auckland City (Nzl)
Group D: Flamengo (Brz), Chelsea (Eng), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tun), Los Angeles FC (USA)
Group E: River Plate (Arg), Inter Milan (Ita), CF Monterrey (Mex), Urawa Red Diamonds (Jpn)
Group F: Fluminense (Brz), Borussia Dortmund (Ger), Ulsan HD (Kor), Mamelodi Sundowns (Rsa)
Group G: Man City (Eng), Juventus (Ita), Wydad AC (Mor), Al Ain (UAE)
Group H: Real Madrid (Esp), FC Salzburg (Aut), Al Hilal (Rsa), CF Pachuca (Mex)
Format of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
The top two teams in each group will qualify to the knockout stage.
The last-16 stage of the competition – the first single knockout round – then scales through to the quarter-final, semi-final and then final. There is no third-placed play-off between the two losing semi-final teams.
