The Club World Cup 2025 is undergoing its most ambitious transformation yet. Reimagined and expanded, the tournament once held each winter with just seven teams will now explode onto the global calendar as a summer spectacle, boasting 32 clubs and promising a record-shattering prize fund. This summer’s edition in the United States is more than a competition; it’s FIFA’s boldest step yet in reshaping the world football landscape.

A New Format for a Global Stage

Gone is the compact December showcase. The new Club World Cup will start a quadrennial rotation—not annual, but every four years—and the first tournament will be held in 2025. The 2025 edition starts on June 15 and runs until July 13 for 29 days, with 12 venues in 11 cities across the host nation, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ—82,500 fans expected—as the site for the final match.

Who’s In: Clubs by Continent

The 2025 Club World Cup will have 32 teams. The teams that qualified for this World Cup did so based on their placement in the corresponding continental tournaments between 2020/21-2023/24.

• UEFA (12): Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg
• CONMEBOL (6): Boca Juniors, Botafogo FR, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras, River Plate
• AFC (4): Al Ain, Al-Hilal, Ulsan Hyundai, Urawa Red Diamonds
• CAF (4): Al Ahly, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad Athletic Club
• CONCACAF (4): Los Angeles FC, Monterrey, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders FC
• OFC (1): Auckland City
• Host Nation (1): Inter Miami CF

The last team to join came on May 31 when Los Angeles FC beat Club América 2-1 in extra time. However, some controversy has already struck this World Cup: FIFA revealed that Club León was rescinded from the tournament due to legality issues with multi-club ownership, as Club León qualified on its own.. Pachuca maintains its position even though it is owned by the same company.

Tournament Mechanics

The pools are set, and the 32-team tournament is as follows: Eight pools (A-H) with four clubs each play one another once. The top two clubs in each pool qualify for a knockout round of 16 tournament with round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final; there is no third place play-off.. Clubs reaching the final will play up to seven matches.

The Prize Pool: Big Stakes, Bigger Payouts

FIFA will distribute approximately $1 billion among the participants. Of that, $525 million will be shared based on participation and commercial metrics. The remaining $475 million is performance-based. The champions could earn up to $125 million. Another $250 million will be distributed in solidarity payments to clubs worldwide.

Venue Line-Up

Matches will unfold across iconic and modern U.S. stadiums:

• Rose Bowl, Pasadena (88,500)
• MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (82,500)
• Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte (75,000)
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (75,000)
• Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia (69,000)
• Lumen Field, Seattle (69,000)
• Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens (65,000)
• Camping World Stadium, Orlando (65,000)
• Geodis Park, Nashville (30,000)
• TQL Stadium, Cincinnati (26,000)
• Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando (25,000)
• Audi Field, Washington D.C. (20,000)

Group Stage Fixtures

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami

• Al Ahly vs Inter Miami – June 14, Miami
• Palmeiras vs Porto – June 15, New Jersey
• Palmeiras vs Al Ahly – June 19, New Jersey
• Inter Miami vs Porto – June 19, Atlanta
• Inter Miami vs Palmeiras – June 23, Miami
• Porto vs Al Ahly – June 23, New Jersey

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders

• PSG vs Atletico – June 15, Pasadena
• Seattle vs Botafogo – June 15, Seattle
• Seattle vs Atletico – June 19, Seattle
• PSG vs Botafogo – June 19, Pasadena
• Seattle vs PSG – June 26, Seattle
• Atletico vs Botafogo – June 26, Pasadena

Group C: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Boca Juniors, Auckland City

• Bayern vs Auckland – June 15, Cincinnati
• Boca vs Benfica – June 16, Miami
• Benfica vs Auckland – June 20, Orlando
• Bayern vs Boca – June 20, Miami
• Auckland vs Boca – June 26, Nashville
• Benfica vs Bayern – June 26, Charlotte

Group D: Chelsea, Flamengo, Esperance, LAFC (TBC)

• Chelsea vs LAFC – June 16, Atlanta
• Flamengo vs Esperance – June 16, Philadelphia
• Flamengo vs Chelsea – June 20, Philadelphia
• LAFC vs Esperance – June 20, Nashville
• LAFC vs Flamengo – June 24, Orlando
• Esperance vs Chelsea – June 24, Philadelphia

Group E: Inter Milan, River Plate, Monterrey, Urawa Red Diamonds

• River vs Urawa – June 17, Seattle
• Monterrey vs Inter – June 17, Los Angeles
• Inter vs Urawa – June 21, Seattle
• River vs Monterrey – June 21, Los Angeles
• Inter vs River – June 25, Seattle
• Urawa vs Monterrey – June 25, Los Angeles

Group F: Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ulsan HD

• Fluminense vs Dortmund – June 17, New Jersey
• Ulsan vs Sundowns – June 17, Orlando
• Sundowns vs Dortmund – June 21, Cincinnati
• Fluminense vs Ulsan – June 21, New Jersey
• Dortmund vs Ulsan – June 25, Cincinnati
• Sundowns vs Fluminense – June 25, Florida

Group G: Manchester City, Juventus, Wydad AC, Al Ain

• Man City vs Wydad – June 18, Philadelphia
• Al Ain vs Juventus – June 18, Washington D.C.
• Juventus vs Wydad – June 22, Philadelphia
• Man City vs Al Ain – June 22, Atlanta
• Juventus vs Man City – June 26, Orlando
• Wydad vs Al Ain – June 26, Washington D.C.

Group H: Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, Al Hilal, Pachuca

• Real Madrid vs Al Hilal – June 18, Miami
• Pachuca vs Salzburg – June 18, Cincinnati
• Real Madrid vs Pachuca – June 22, Charlotte
• Salzburg vs Al Hilal – June 22, Washington D.C.
• Al Hilal vs Pachuca – June 26, Nashville
• Salzburg vs Real Madrid – June 26, Philadelphia

New Tech, New Rules

Referees will wear body cameras for the first time, offering new broadcast angles and transparency. An enhanced offside detection system will also be used to support decision-making.

Mini Transfer Window Ahead of Tournament

To accommodate squad updates, FIFA will allow a special transfer window from June 1 to June 10. All Premier League and EFL clubs can participate. The regular summer window resumes June 16.

Player Workload and Backlash

Criticism is mounting. Player unions and league associations argue the tournament adds to already overloaded schedules. But not everyone is thrilled about the tight turnaround; Kylian Mbappe, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Alisson, and Son Heung-min are on record. “I think we have to respect the health of the players,” said Mbappe.

De Bruyne added, “If I get injured in the Club World Cup, what am I going to do? Nobody’s going to take care of me.”

Some top players could hit 85 matches in a single year. The toll on their physical and mental health is raising alarms. FIFA, however, maintains the expansion is key to growing global interest. The European Club Association supports the move, citing commercial opportunity.

Fan Buzz, Ticket Hype, and Star Power

Fans in the U.S. are eager, with early ticket demand strong in major cities. Robbie Williams will serve as ambassador and perform during the tournament. The Club World Cup is not just a footballing event—it’s a cultural moment.

Club World Cup vs Champions League: What’s Bigger?

While the Champions League remains the top club prize in Europe, the Club World Cup’s expansion aims to build a truly global alternative. The $1 billion prize pool, diverse lineup, and growing visibility make it a serious contender for attention—and eventually, prestige.