Your guide to the 2025 Club World Cup

BBC News

a day ago

The 2025 Fifa Club World Cup gets under way in the United States on Saturday.Played under a new format, the month-long tournament will now take place once every four years rather than annually.The competition was previously contested by only seven teams but will now feature 32.Once described as a "mistake" by former Fifa president Sepp Blatter, the revamp has been as significant as it is controversial.
How have teams qualified?
Teams from each of the six international football confederations will be at the Club World Cup: Asia (AFC), Africa (Caf), North and Central America (Concacaf), South America (Conmebol), Oceania (OFC) and Europe (Uefa).In most cases, winners of the confederations' equivalent to Uefa's Champions League over the four seasons from 2020-21 to 2023-24 have qualified. In the OFC's case, it is the best-performing winner across the four years.There are 12 places for European clubs - the most from one confederation. These places are decided by clubs' Champions League performances over the four-year qualifying period.That means recent winners Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris-St Germain have all qualified, though PSG's qualification was not as a result of winning last month's Champions League final.Other European teams have qualified through a Uefa ranking system determined by clubs' performances over the four qualifying seasons. Only two clubs per country can feature, unless more than that win a confederation's premier club competition in the qualifying period.Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg - who will be known as FC Salzburg because of Fifa sponsorship regulations - will be present. They have qualified by virtue of being the highest-ranked club across the past four Champions League seasons from a country that does not already have its two spots occupied.There were four club places each for Asia and Africa, as well as the North and Central American federation, with the United States awarded an extra place as hosts.Six places are awarded to South American clubs, and one to Oceania.
How many different countries will be represented at the Club World Cup?
The maiden edition of the new-look Club World Cup will feature clubs from 20 different countries.From Europe, seven countries are represented. England, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal have two teams each, with France and Austria having one apiece.South America's six spots are taken up by clubs from Brazil and Argentina. Four Brazilian clubs were Copa Libertadores winners during the qualifying period, meaning Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo all feature.Asia are represented by teams from Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, with clubs from Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa and Morocco taking Africa's four spots.From North and Central America, the United States and Mexico have two clubs each. That should have been three from Mexico and one from the US, but Club Leon were removed in March because of Fifa's rules on multi-club ownership. Following a play-off match, Los Angeles FC replaced them.Inter Miami also secured their place by winning the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, with the United States handed an extra place because they are the host nation.Oceania's sole place is occupied by Auckland City of New Zealand.Full list of countries represented in the 2025 Club World Cup:Argentina (River Plate and Boca Juniors)Austria (Red Bull Salzburg)Brazil (Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo)Egypt (Al Ahly)England (Chelsea and Manchester City)France (Paris St-Germain)Germany (Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund)Italy (Inter Milan and Juventus)Japan (Urawa Red Diamonds)Mexico (Monterrey and Pachuca)Morocco (Wydad AC)New Zealand (Auckland City)Portugal (Porto and Benfica)Saudi Arabia (Al-Hilal)South Africa (Mamelodi Sundowns)South Korea (Ulsan HD)Spain (Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid)Tunisia (Esperance de Tunis)United Arab Emirates (Al Ain)United States (Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami)
Why is Lionel Messi involved?
One spot in the tournament is reserved for a team from the host nation.Fifa opted to award that place to Inter Miami for winning the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield - the trophy given to the team with the best regular-season record. The decision to invite Inter Miami before the Major League Soccer campaign was concluded has been interpreted by some as an attempt on Fifa's part to ensure Lionel Messi, who joined in 2023, will play in a tournament that has attracted little public enthusiasm so far.
Fifa Club World Cup 2025 groups
Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter MiamiGroup B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle SoundersGroup C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, BenficaGroup D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, Los Angeles FCGroup E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter MilanGroup F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi SundownsGroup G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, JuventusGroup H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg
How does the format work?
The revamped Club World Cup will run in a similar way to the international men's and women's World Cups.The 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four, who will play each other once in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will then go through to the knockout stages.Unlike the international World Cups, the Club World Cup will have no third-place play-off.The final will take place on 13 July 2025.
Club World Cup prize money
A £775m prize pot will be split between the 32 teams, with the tournament winners earning up to £97m.Clubs will take home a set figure for each round:Group Stages: £1.5m for a win and £800,000 for a drawRound of 16: £5.8mQuarter-Final: £10.1mSemi-Final: £16.2mFinalist: £23.2mWinner: £30.0mClubs will also receive an award for participation - the fee depending on different sporting and commercial criteria.European clubs will earn more for taking part than clubs from other continents. The highest ranked European clubs will receive £29.6m, and the lowest £9.9m.
Where will matches be held?
All matches will be held in the United States, a year before the country co-hosts the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico.Fixtures are set to be played in 12 different stadiums.Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz StadiumCharlotte, TQL StadiumCincinnati, Bank of America StadiumLos Angeles, Rose Bowl StadiumMiami, Hard Rock StadiumNashville, GEODIS ParkNew Jersey, MetLife StadiumOrlando, Camping World StadiumOrlando, Inter&Co StadiumPhiladelphia, Lincoln Financial FieldSeattle, Lumen FieldWashington DC, Audi FieldThe opening match will be held in Miami, and the final is scheduled for New Jersey.
Where can I watch the Club World Cup?
Streaming platform Dazn has paid $1bn (£787m) to secure exclusive global rights to the tournament and will show all 63 matches free to view on its platforms.The deal has created controversy because in the same month it was agreed, Dazn sold a stake in its business to Saudi Arabian firm Surj Sports in an agreement also worth $1bn.Subsequently, Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco and state investment firm PIF have been announced as sponsors of the tournament.In the UK, 23 of the competition's matches will be broadcast live on Channel 5, after the free-to-air broadcaster agreed a sub-licensing agreement with DAZN.
Why is the Club World Cup so controversial?
Fifa is facing potential legal action, external from player unions and leagues about the scheduling of the tournament.Global players' union Fifpro and the top European Leagues say the international football calendar is "oversaturated" and "risks player safety and wellbeing".Several players - including Liverpool's Alisson Becker and Manchester City's Rodri - have raised concerns about player wellbeing amid an increasingly packed football calendar.There are just five weeks between the Club World Cup final and the first Premier League match of the 2025-2026 season, which is scheduled for 16 August.Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola requested a late start to the Premier League season for his team, and recently departed City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne told reporters: "The issue is that Uefa and Fifa keep adding extra matches, and we can raise concerns but no solutions have been found. It seems that money speaks louder than the players' voices."A Fifa spokesperson BBC Sport: "The Fifa Club World Cup is not responsible for calendar congestion. It is a competitive tournament that takes place once every four years and, as independent studies have verified, Fifa is only responsible for a small percentage of matches per season."Fifa cares about the welfare of the players. Following a decision taken earlier this year, Fifa is formalising the task force on player welfare, headed by Arsene Wenger, to promote further global dialogue on player welfare issues with key stakeholders across football."
What about the Women's Euros?
The Club World Cup will partially overlap with Women's Euro 2025, which runs from 2-27 July.BBC Sport asked Fifa to justify the clash, and whether there were concerns about the Women's Euro competing with the Club World Cup for attention.A Fifa spokesperson told BBC Sport: "The international match calendar for 2025-2030 was approved by the Fifa Council in 2023."While Fifa accepts that both the men's and women's international match calendars are constrained by obvious limitations, this was deemed to be the most balanced solution."It is also important to note that given the time difference between Switzerland [host of Uefa Women's Euro 2025] and the United States [where the Fifa Club World Cup will take place], the number of matches where a potential clash could take place will be fewer."This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
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