32 teams. One champion of the world. The Club World Cup is just around the corner.
With a new format, we’re gonna run through everything you need to know before it begins.
Ready? Let’s kick things off.
What Is the Club World Cup?
You might’ve heard of the ‘Club World Cup’ before, but this year, it’s a completely different ball game.
The OG tournament included seven clubs and took place every year. This year, it’s gonna be a whole lot bigger.
The stakes are higher. More teams. Bigger competition. And less often. It’s gonna be another four years ‘til the next one.
How to Qualify for the Club World Cup
This seems to be causing a lot of confusion. It’s calm though, we’re gonna run you through it all.
A mix of teams from Asia, Africa, North and Central America, South America, Oceania, and Europe will all take part.
These have been ranked through a UEFA ranking system. For European teams, it was decided on Champions League performances between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons.
You might be wondering, why are Chelsea in the club world cup? And why won’t Liverpool be there?
There can only be two teams from each country, so that’s why 2022 Champions League finalists Liverpool will not be in the mix.
Four spots were up for grabs in Asia, Africa and North America, while South America was given six spots.
Oceania was given one spot, and so was the home nation.
Which Teams Are in the Club World Cup?
There are some serious big hitters taking part.
Real Madrid. Manchester City. Paris Saint Germain. Just to name-drop a few.
And yes, you’re gonna get to see Lionel Messi balling out for Inter Miami. We’re buzzing.
See which teams are in the Club World Cup.
Club World Cup Teams
Al Ahly
Al Ain
Al Hilal
Atletico Madrid
Auckland City
Bayern Munich
Benfica
Boca Juniors
Botafogo
Borussia Dortmund
Chelsea
Esperance de Tunis
Flamengo
Fluminense
Inter Miami
Inter Milan
Juventus
Los Angeles FC
Mamelodi Sundowns
Manchester City
Monterrey
Pachuca
Palmeiras
Paris Saint-Germain
Porto
Real Madrid
Red Ball Salzburg
River Plate
Seattle Sounders
Ulsan HD
Urawa Red Diamonds
Wydad
Where is the Club World Cup 2025?
The tournament will be taking place over in the USA. Games will be played across 12 different stadiums. So, we’re gonna get a little taster of the vibes we can expect at the 2026 World Cup.
List of Stadiums
Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
GEODIS Park (Nashville)
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
Inter\&Co Stadium (Orlando)
Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
Lumen Field (Seattle)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles)
TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
How Does the Format Work?
It’s pretty similar to the international World Cup competitions.
There are eight groups of four, who will all play each other once.
The top two teams go through to the knockout stages. Fail to win, you’re out. This is where it get’s tasty.
Unlike the World Cup, there’s no third-place play-off. It’s all or nothing.
When Is the Club World Cup?
The tournament kicks off on Sunday, 15th June, with Messi’s Inter Miami taking on Egyptian side Al Ahly in the opening game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The final will be on 13th July, where the world’s greatest will be decided at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
And That’s a Wrap
You’ve got all the info now. It’s time kick back and find out who will become champions of the world.
No matter if your team are taking part, you can still get stuck into the action. We’ve got Club World Cup kits right here.
