FIFA Club World Cup: Everything you need to know about 2025 tourney
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be held in 12 stadiums across the United States, with the July 13 final set for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the soccer governing body announced in New York on Saturday.
The country will see 32 of the best club soccer teams in the world — like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Al Hilal — play in a tournament to be crowned the best.
Consider it a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Along with the site locations, 30 of 32 teams have already earned spots in the Club World Cup. The United States will produce a host club; the remaining club will hail from South America.
Here’s everything you need to know about next year’s FIFA Club World Cup:
When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
The tournament begins on June 15 with the final set for July 13. The Club World Cup final will be played at the same site as the 2026 World Cup final.
Where will 2025 FIFA Club World Cup games be played?
Here’s the stadium sites announced Saturday:
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
- MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
- Geodis Park (Nashville, Tenn.)
- Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
- Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
- Lumen Field (Seattle)
- Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Who will be the United States’ team in 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
One of the two undecided teams will be a team that represents the United States, the host country. This seems like a two-team race.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami is an obvious choice. Messi, considered the world’s best player, is in the twilight of his career playing for an American team. He’ll be playing in the final year of his current contract. And he would undoubtedly be the tournament’s biggest attraction outside of Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Although Inter Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup, the club might have to win either the MLS Supporters’ Shield and/or the 2024 MLS Cup to qualify for the Club Word Cup.
Another leading choice is the Columbus Crew, the reigning MLS Cup champions and 2024 Leagues Cup winners. The Crew has been the best MLS team over the last year, but fell to Pachuca in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup final, a match that would have qualified them for the Club World Cup.
Which clubs are participating in 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
Here are the 30 teams that have already qualified for the tournament, and how they qualified:
UEFA: Union of European Football Associations
- Chelsea (ENG) – 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
- Real Madrid (ESP) – 2021/22 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League
- Manchester City (ENG) – 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
- Bayern Munich (GER) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Inter Milan (ITA) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Porto (POR) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Benfica (POR) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Borussia Dortmund (GER) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Juventus (ITA) – UEFA ranking pathway
- Atletico Madrid (ESP) – UEFA ranking pathway
- FC Salzburg (AUT) – UEFA ranking pathway
AFC: Asian Football Confederation
- Al Hilal (KSA) – 2021 AFC Champions League
- Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) – 2022 AFC Champions League
- Al Ain (UAE) – 2023/24 AFC Champions League
- Ulsan HD FC (KOR) – AFC ranking pathway
CAF: Confederation of African Football
- Al Ahly (EGY) – 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24 CAF Champions League
- Wydad (MAR) – 2021/22 CAF Champions League
- ES Tunis (TUN) – CAF ranking pathway
- Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) – CAF ranking pathway
CONCACAF: North America, Central America and the Caribbean
- Monterrey (MEX) – 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup
- Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup
- Club Leon (MEX) – 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup
- Pachuca (MEX) – 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup
- TBD – 2025 Club World Cup host slot
CONMEBOL: South America
- Palmeiras (BRA) – 2021 CONMEBOL Libertadores
- Flamengo (BRA) – 2022 CONMEBOL Libertadores
- Fluminense (BRA) – 2023 CONMEBOL Libertadores
- River Plate (ARG) – CONMEBOL ranking pathway
- Boca Juniors (ARG) – CONMEBOL ranking pathway
- TBD – 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores
OFC: Oceania Football Confederation
- Auckland City (NZL) – OFC ranking pathway
