2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Football's most ambitious tournament ever

African champions Al Ahly meet Inter Miami in the opening game.
The match-up between Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo and recent UEFA Champions League victors PSG is a must-see match in the group stage.
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Club World Cup a test of Chelsea's elite credentials

France 24

16 hours ago

France 24

Club World Cup a test of Chelsea's elite credentials

Enzo Maresca's side beat Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League match to clinch fourth place after an inconsistent campaign, ending a two-season absence from Europe's top competition. The Blues, who reached FIFA's revamped and expanded event by landing a second Champions League triumph in 2021, have been handed a favourable opening raft of fixtures in the United States. Chelsea begin their Club World Cup campaign in Group D against Los Angeles FC, who battled through a play-off round against Club America to replace the disqualified Club Leon. After that opening fixture in Atlanta on Monday, Chelsea head north to face Brazilian team Flamengo and Tunisia's Esperance, both in Philadelphia. Los Angeles boast former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, although the 38-year-old is not a regular starter. Flamengo, who qualified by lifting the Copa Libertadores in 2022, are coached by well-regarded former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis. Esperance have won eight of the last nine Tunisian league titles but are considered the weakest team in the group. In the knock-out rounds tantalising potential clashes against Bayern Munich and Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain may lie ahead. Chelsea won the competition in its previous format in 2022, beating Brazil's Palmeiras in the final. There will be special interest in how new Chelsea signing Liam Delap fares after his recent move from relegated Ipswich. The Blues beat Manchester United among other clubs in the race for the 22-year-old striker who netted 12 times in 37 top-flight matches and moved for £30 million ($41 million). Chelsea lacked firepower up front this season with Nicolas Jackson inconsistent and Christopher Nkunku struggling badly for form. Palmer introduction Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, came through the Manchester City youth academy like Chelsea's star player, Cole Palmer. The England international's revival towards the end of the season is a positive sign, with Palmer dazzling in the Conference League final win over Real Betis. The 23-year-old missed Chelsea's pre-season tour of the US last summer and Maresca said it was a chance for the playmaker to take the country by storm. "Palmer is up there with the very best top players who can produce something at any moment, create something out of nothing," said the coach. "He wasn't with me on the USA tour last summer, so it will also be a chance for him to experience the environment there and to introduce himself to North America." Beating Betis in Poland earned Maresca his first trophy as Chelsea manager and a deep run in the United States would be another sign that the Blues are heading in the right direction. On an upwards trajectory and with a young squad, Chelsea have plenty of potential to improve in the years to come. "(Critics) were saying that we were not able to win... because we're too young, because we're not experienced," said Maresca after sealing fourth place in the Premier League. "Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong." Summer success is also important to the club's co-owners, US businessman Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital, with nearly £100 million on the line for the winners. While not among the set of top favourites, including English rivals Manchester City, 15-time European champions Real Madrid and PSG, Chelsea are still expected to reach the last eight. With fans not fully sold on Maresca's brand of possession football, and even Palmer saying he was "sick" of the ball going from side to side in the Conference League final, another trophy could help soothe any building tension in south-west London.

Club World Cup marks 'new era' for football: Infantino

France 24

19 hours ago

France 24

Club World Cup marks 'new era' for football: Infantino

In an interview with AFP, Infantino also took aim at critics of FIFA's ticketing policy and said that skeptics who had questioned the need for the tournament would quickly change their minds. The 32-team competition, with clubs from all continents, gets under way with Inter Miami facing Egyptian club Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium. "It starts a new era of football, a new era of club football. A little bit like when, in 1930, the first World Cup, right, started," Infantino told AFP. "Everyone today speaks about the very first World Cup. That's why it's also, this World Cup here is historic." The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and Infantino noted that only European and South American teams took part, adding that the Club World Cup would give a chance to clubs from outside of football's traditional heartlands to play on the global stage. "We want to be inclusive. We want to give opportunities to clubs from all over the world," he said. "It's really to globalise football, to make it truly, truly global. Because when you scratch the surface, we say it's the number one sport in the world, and it is but then the elite is very concentrated in very few clubs, in very few countries," he said. The Swiss official, who was general secretary of European body UEFA before taking the helm at FIFA in 2016, said that the club tournament also offered chances to players from over 80 countries. "Countries who would never have a chance to play in a World Cup are suddenly part of a World Cup and they feel to be part of it, the fans of these players and of these clubs," added Infantino, who noted several great players of the past who never played in a World Cup, "A very good friend of mine is George legend, great player, Ballon d'Or winner, only African player who ever won the Ballon d'Or, by the way. He never played in a World Cup. He would have been playing in a Club World Cup and made not only his club and also his country proud," he added. 'Something special' Infantino dismissed concerns that the tournament added to fixture congestion but acknowledged that some fans were yet to be sure of the value of the tournament, saying though that would quickly change. "I believe, I'm convinced that, you know, as soon as the ball starts rolling, the whole world will realise what is happening here. It's something special," he said. Reports of low uptake of tickets for same games has led to criticism of FIFA's ticketing policy with 'dynamic pricing', increasingly common in the United States, allowing for prices to rise and fall according to demand. But Infantino defended the approach and the decision to offer heavy discounts to students in Miami. "I'm a positive person generally, but they criticise FIFA if the prices are too high, then they criticise FIFA if the prices are too low. "Then they criticise FIFA if we make ticketing promotions with students. Students! I mean, when I was a student and I didn't have money, I would have loved FIFA to come to me and say, you want to come and watch a World Cup match?" "We don't want to see empty stadiums. I believe the stadiums will be pretty full," he said. The FIFA president said that the tournament, which secured a global broadcasting deal with DAZN reported to be worth $1 billion, was already an economic success and stressed that all the money generated from commercial deals would be ploughed back into the game. Asked how he would judge whether the tournament had been a success, Infantino said he would feel it in his 'heart' but said he was confident. "In terms of inclusivity, in terms of economy, in terms of fan interest, you take all of these criteria, we'll speak again at the end of the club World Cup, but already now, I (feel positive), when I look at the number of tickets sold, and I look at the TV rights," he said, noting that the games were available on DAZN's streams for free. "Tell me one top competition today, where you can watch football for free?" he asked. The Club World Cup has also been caught up in the US's fierce debates over immigration control with games being held near Los Angeles, scenes of violent clashes between protestors and immigration officers. "Security for me and for us is a top priority, always. So when something is happening, like in Los Angeles we are obviously monitoring the situation, we are in constant contact with the authorities, we want fans to go in games in a safe environment," he said.

Euronews

a day ago

Euronews