The 32nd and final team qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup has been known since this weekend, and the group draw will take place this Thursday, December 5. Dates, teams, format and even broadcasters… Here is all the information you need to know about this already controversial competition.
Saturday November 30, 11:30 p.m., the last invitation card to the 2025 Club World Cup has finally found a buyer. By winning against Atletico Mineiro, Botafogo, owned by John Textor, won the Copa Libertadores, but also won their ticket to the prestigious competition which will take place at the end of the season, then – normally – every four years , like the Nations World Cup.
Where and when will the new Club World Cup take place?
This inaugural edition of the Club World Cup – new version – will be held from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States. To host the 63 matches to be played, the host country chose 12 stadiums, the overwhelming majority of which are in the East.
The list of 12 selected stadiums:
- Audi Field – Washington, D.C., 20.000 places
- Inter&Co Stadium – Orlando (Floride), 25.000 places
- TQL Stadium – Cincinnati (Ohio), 26.000 places
- GEODIS Park – Nashville (Tennessee), 30.000 places
- Hard Rock Stadium – Miami (Floride), 65.000 places
- Camping World Stadium – Orlando (Floride), 65.000 places
- Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphie (Pennsylvanie), 69.000 places
- Lumen Field – Seattle (Washington), 69.000 places
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta (Georgia), 75,000 seats
- Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte (Caroline du Nord), 75.000 places
- MetLife Stadium – New York, 82.500 places
- Rose Bowl Stadium – Los Angeles (Californie), 88.500 places
MetLife Stadium in New York has been chosen to host the final, which will also be the case for the next 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Who are the 32 participants?
Botafogo last registered, the 32 qualified teams are now known and have been selected since they are among the best over the last four seasons. And they come from all four corners of the world. The African, Asian and (Northern) American continents each have four representatives. Oceania will only be dependent on the Auckland City club, while South America (6) and Europe (12) have more chances of final victory.
The list of 32 qualified teams:
Africa
- Al Ahly (Egypt) – CAF Champions League 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24
- Wydad (Morocco) – CAF Champions League 2021/22
- ES Tunis (Tunisia) – CAF ranking path
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) – CAF ranking path
Asia
- Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) – AFC Champions League 2021
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) – AFC Champions League 2022
- Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) – AFC Champions League 2024
- Ulsan HD FC (South Korea) – AFC Ranking Path
North America
- Monterrey (Mexico) – 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup
- Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup
- Club León (Mexico) – 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup
- CF Pachuca (Mexico) – 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup
Host country
- Inter Miami (United States) – Host country club
Oceania
- Auckland City (New Zealand) – OFC Ranking Path
South America
- Palmeiras (Brésil) – Copa Libertadores de la CONMEBOL 2021
- Flamengo (Brazil) – CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores 2022
- Fluminense (Brazil) – CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores 2023
- River Plate (Argentina) – CONMEBOL ranking path
- Boca Juniors (Argentina) – CONMEBOL ranking path
- Botafogo (Brazil) – CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores 2024
Europe
- Chelsea (England) – UEFA Champions League 2020/21
- Real Madrid (Spain) – UEFA Champions League 2021/22 and 2023/24
- Manchester City (England) – UEFA Champions League 2022/23
- Bayern Munich (Germany) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany) – UEFA Ranking Path
- FC Porto (Portugal) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Benfica (Portugal) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Inter Milan (Italy) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Juventus (Italy) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Paris Saint-Germain (France) – UEFA Ranking Path
- Atlético de Madrid (Spain) – UEFA Ranking Path
- RB Salzburg (Austria) – UEFA Ranking Path
>> More information on team qualification here.
When and how will the draw take place?
Before knowing which teams will compete in the group stage, the hats were revealed this Tuesday, December 3 by Fifa.
- Hat 1: Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), FC Bayern Munich (GER), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), CR Flamengo (BRA), SE Palmeiras (BRA), CA River Plate (ARG), Fluminense FC (BRA )
- Hat 2: Chelsea FC (ENG), Borussia Dortmund (GER), FC Inter Milan (ITA), FC Porto (POR), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), SL Benfica (POR), Juventus FC (ITA), FC Salzburg (AUT)
- Hat 3: Al Hilal (KSA), Ulsan HD (KOR), Al Ahly FC (ONE), Wydad AC (MAR), CF Monterrey (MEX), Club León (MEX), CA Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA)
- Hat 4: Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), Al Ain FC (UAE), Espérance Sportive de Tunisie (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA), CF Pachuca (MEX), Seattle Sounders FC (USA), Auckland City FC (NZL), Inter Miami CF (USA)
Enough to make the rest of the competition much more readable. The group draw will be made on Thursday, December 5, at 7 p.m. (French time).
What is the tournament format?
First the group stage. The eight groups will be made up of one team from each hat, but Fifa has announced that two clubs from the same confederation or the same country will not be able to face each other in the first round, except for UEFA.
With a dry match to be played during this first round, a ranking will be deduced and the first two in each group will be qualified for the rest of the competition… the others directly eliminated. Then it’s time for the round of 16, everything will be decided in a single knockout match until the final. Note that there will be no small final to determine a third.
How to follow the competition in France?
Due to players’ fears about the overloaded schedule, clubs’ concerns and the fact that the matches will be played in American times, no broadcaster has yet been found in France. According to information from L’Équipe, after the first consultation launched at global level, TV rights would be “quite far” from the billion euros hoped for by Fifa, which has just over six months left to find a solution. solution.
What do the participants and the winner of this Club World Cup win?
If for the moment, nothing is fixed, several media including Sky Sports, have announced that the simple participation of a qualified club would ensure an endowment of 50 million pounds sterling (more than 60 million euros). For its part, Marca announced that the sum could vary between the clubs, and would be between 25 and 70 million euros, depending on the revenue from the competition and the TV rights which have yet to be allocated.
But apart from this sum of money, the winner will leave with a unique trophy. For the first edition of the Club World Cup in its brand new 32-team version, a brand new prize will be awarded to the victorious team. “It features icons and images that illustrate the traditions and history of football, a world map and the names of all FIFA member associations,” explains Gianni Infantino on FIFA social networks. “The trophy even shows the position of the solar system on the day of the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup in June 2025.”
