Football fans are in for a historic summer as the FIFA Club World Cup undergoes its biggest transformation yet. For the first time, the tournament will feature 32 of the world’s top club sides, battling it out in a month-long spectacle set entirely in the United States. Running from June 15th to July 13th 2025, this expanded edition promises all the intensity and drama of the FIFA World Cup but with the very best of club football.
The revamped format means more matches, more stars, and more opportunities to witness unforgettable moments. We are here to provide a rundown of all there is to know before the tournament begins. We have the dates of every fixture, group draws and where to watch every game. Stay tuned for more on the competition, including our best predictions and how to bet on the Club World Cup.
When Does The Club World Cup Start?
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off on June 15th 2025, when Al Ahly face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium. This will mark the beginning of a month-long football extravaganza. The tournament will run until July 13th, when the final will take place. The Club World Cup features 32 of the world’s top club teams competing across various venues in the United States.
Where is the Club World Cup?
The Club World Cup takes place entirely in the United States this year. Twelve stadiums will host 63 fixtures up and down the country.
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
- Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, Florida)
- GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
- Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Lumen Field (Seattle, Washington)
- Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Who Is Playing in the Club World Cup?
32 teams are competing in the Club World Cup, with Europe the most well-represented continent. They entered based on their performance in the Champions League since 2020/21. The best-performing sides in that period join the winners of the previous three tournaments.
Four teams from the Asian Football Confederation, African Federation and the North American Federation are entered based on the winners and best-performing teams in their respective Champions League competitions. North America received an extra entry as the host nation.
The South American federation will enter the six best performers in the Copa Libertadores. Oceania receive the final slot according to the best performer in the OFC Champions League since 2020/21. Here is a breakdown of all 32 teams playing in the Club World Cup by federation.
UEFA (Europe)
- England: Manchester City and Chelsea
- Spain: Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid
- Germany: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
- Italy: Inter Milan and Juventus
- France: Paris Saint-Germain
- Portugal: Benfica and Porto
- Austria: Red Bull Salzburg
CONMEBOL (South America)
- Brazil: Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense and Botafogo
- Argentina: River Plate and Boca Juniors
AFC (Asia)
- Saudi Arabia: Al Hilal
- United Arab Emirates: Al Ain
- Japan: Urawa Red Diamonds
- South Korea: Ulsan HD
CAF (Africa)
- Egypt: Al Ahly
- Morocco: Wydad AC
- Tunisia: Espérance de Tunis
- South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns
CONCACAF (North and Central America)
- Mexico: Monterrey and Pachuca
- USA: Seattle Sounders FC, Inter Miami, and Los Angeles FC (LAFC)
OFC (Oceania)
- Australia: Auckland City
What is the FIFA Club World Cup Format 2025
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will mark a historic moment in football as the tournament expands to feature 32 of the world’s top clubs for the first time. Taking place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, this newly revamped format closely mirrors the FIFA World Cup setup, offering fans nearly a month of high-stakes, international club football. The competition is structured to include a group stage followed by a knockout round, providing a clear and competitive pathway to the final.
The tournament kicks off on June 15th, with multiple games across different venues in the U.S. The group stage features eight groups of four teams each, where every team plays three matches. Matches are scheduled at various times throughout the day to accommodate a global audience. For example, the opening fixture, Al Ahly vs Inter Miami, takes place on June 15th at 1:00 am GMT, while Palmeiras face Porto later that day at 11:00 pm GMT. This group phase continues until June 25th, after which the top two teams from each group progress to the Round of 16.
The Club World Cup final is set for July 13th, providing a climactic end to the tournament. All matches, including the final, will be held in top-tier stadiums across America. The expanded format not only increases the number of matches and participating clubs but also enhances global representation, giving fans a more comprehensive and thrilling tournament than ever before.
What are the Club World Cup Groups?
The group stage draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has placed the 32 teams into eight groups (A to H), each comprising four teams. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16. Teams from the same nation cannot be in the same group, but may play each other in the knockout rounds.
| Group A | SE Palmeiras | FC Porto | Al Ahly | Inter Miami |
| Group B | PSG | Atletico Madrid | Botafogo | Seattle Sounders |
| Group C | Bayern Munich | SL Benfica | Boca Juniors | Auckland City |
| Group D | Flamengo | ES Tunis | Chelsea | LAFC |
| Group E | River Plate | Urawa Red Diamonds | Inter Milan | CF Monterrey |
| Group F | Fluminense | Borussia Dortmund | Ulsan HD | Sundowns |
| Group G | Man City | Wydad AC | Al Ain | Juventus |
| Group H | Real Madrid | Al Hilal | Pachuca | Red Bull Salzburg |
Club World Cup Group Stage Fixtures
With over 60 fixtures to look forward to over the next month, now is the time to plan to ensure you don’t miss any of the action. Remember to check back here for soccer predictions for the upcoming games.
Group A
- Al Ahly vs Inter Miami (June 15, 1:00 am GMT)
- Palmeiras vs Porto (June 15, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Palmeiras vs Al Ahly (June 19, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Inter Miami vs Porto (June 19, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (June 24, 1:00 am GMT)
- Porto vs Al Ahly (June 24, 1:00 am GMT)
Group B
- PSG vs Atletico Madrid (June 15, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders (June 16, 3:00 am GMT)
- Seattle Sounders vs Atletico Madrid (June 19, 8:00 pm GMT)
- PSG vs Botafogo (June 19, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Seattle Sounders vs PSG (June 23, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Atletico Madrid vs Botafogo (June 23, 5:00 pm GMT)
Group C
- Bayern Munich vs Auckland City (June 15, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Boca Juniors vs Benfica (June 16, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Benfica vs Auckland City (June 20, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors (June 21, 2:00 am GMT)
- Auckland City vs Boca Juniors (June 24, 7:00 pm GMT)
- Benfica vs Bayern Munich (June 24, 8:00 pm GMT)
Group D
- Chelsea vs LAFC (June 16, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Flamengo vs Esperance de Tunis (June 17, 2:00 am GMT)
- Flamengo vs Chelsea (June 20, 7:00 pm GMT)
- LAFC vs Esperance de Tunis (June 20, 10:00 pm GMT)
- LAFC vs Flamengo (June 25, 2:00 am GMT)
- Esperance de Tunis vs Chelsea (June 25, 2:00 am GMT)
Group E
- River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds (June 17, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Monterrey vs Inter Milan (June 18, 2:00 am GMT)
- Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds (June 21, 5:00 pm GMT)
- River Plate vs Monterrey (June 21, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Inter Milan vs River Plate (June 25, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Urawa Red Diamonds vs Monterrey (June 25, 11:00 pm GMT)
Group F
- Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund (June 17, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns (June 17, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund (June 21, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Fluminense vs Ulsan HD (June 21, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Borussia Dortmund vs Ulsan HD (June 25, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense (June 25, 8:00 pm GMT)
Group G
- Man City vs Wydad AC (June 18, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Al Ain vs Juventus (June 18, 2:00 am GMT)
- Juventus vs Wydad AC (June 22, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Man City vs Al Ain (June 23, 2:00 am GMT)
- Juventus vs Man City (June 26, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Wydad AC vs Al Ain (June 26, 8:00 pm GMT)
Group H
- Real Madrid vs Al Hilal (June 18, 8:00 pm GMT)
- CF Pachuca vs FC Salzburg (June 18, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Real Madrid vs CF Pachuca (June 22, 8:00 pm GMT)
- FC Salzburg vs Al Hilal (June 22, 11:00 pm GMT)
- Al Hilal vs CF Pachuca (June 26, 1:00 am GMT)
- FC Salzburg vs Real Madrid (June 26, 2:00 am GMT)
When Does the Round of 16 Start?
The Club World Cup Round of 16 starts on June 28th. The top two teams from each group battle against each other to reach the quarterfinals. Here is how the bracket is laid out.
- Winner Group A vs Runner-up Group B (Match 49, June 28th, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group D (Match 50, June 28th, 9:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group B vs Runner-up Group A (Match 51, June 29th, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group D vs Runner-up Group C (Match 52, June 29th, 9:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group E vs Runner-up Group F (Match 53, June 30th, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group G vs Runner-up Group H (Match 54, July 1st, 2:00 am GMT)
- Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group G (Match 55, July 1st, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group E (Match 56, July 2nd, 2:00 am GMT)
When do the Quarterfinals Start?
There is a three-day break after the Round of 16, with the Club World Cup quarterfinals commencing on July 4th. They will take place over two days, with the final quarterfinal game kicking off on July 5th at 9:00 pm.
- Winner Match 53 vs Winner Match 54 (Match 57, July 4th, 8:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50 (Match 58, July 5th, 2:00 am GMT)
- Winner Match 51 vs Winner Match 52 (Match 59, July 5th, 5:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Match 55 vs Winner Match 56 (Match 60, July 5th, 9:00 pm GMT)
When do the Semifinals Start?
Another three-day break follows the quarter-finals, after which the remaining four teams play for a place in the final on July 8th and 9th. There is no telling which clubs will make it this far, but we could see some titanic clashes.
- Winner Match 57 vs Winner Match 58 (Match 61, July 8th, 3:00 pm GMT)
- Winner Match 59 vs Winner Match 60 (Match 62, July 9th, 8:00 pm GMT)
When is the Club World Cup Final?
The Club World Cup final takes place on July 13th. It is one of the most lucrative games in football history, with the winners claiming up to £93m. Real Madrid are the favourites to lift the trophy, worth 4/1 with our online betting site. Many are earmarking Pep Guardiola to save Manchester City’s disappointing season by winning the tournament.
Where to Watch the Club World Cup in Ireland
Major streaming platform DAZN has agreed a deal with FIFA to make the Club World Cup free-to-air worldwide. All you need to do is set up an account, and you can watch every game on your smart device, computer, or laptop. Those in the North can watch a selection of fixtures on Channel Five.
Why is Chelsea in the Club World Cup 2025
Teams do not need to be consistently at the top to qualify for the competition. Instead, they can enter by winning an international cup final in the past four years. Chelsea secured entry to the Club World Cup after winning the Champions League in 2020/21. Manchester City and Real Madrid also automatically qualified, having won the two most recent Champions League Finals.
