The inaugural draw for the revamped FIFA Club World Cup has taken place in Miami, and Manchester City will begin its title defense against Moroccan champions Wydad AC.
City will also play Juventus and Al Ain FC after being drawn in Group G, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stages. After being invited to compete in the Club World Cup as a host nation, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will first face Egyptian champions Al Ahly FC in Group A.
Brazilian team Palmeiras and Portuguese giants FC Porto complete that group, but Miami’s MLS rivals Seattle Sounders have been drawn in one of the toughest groups. The Sounders will first face Botofogo, before taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid, the most successful team in Club World Cup history with five titles, were drawn into Group H and will first face Saudi Arabian champions Al-Hilal. Also drawn into Group H is CF Pachuca and Austrian side FC Salzburg.
FIFA Club World Cup draw in full
Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly FC, Inter MiamiGroup B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botofogo, Seattle SoundersGroup C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City FC, Boca Juniors, SL BenficaGroup D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Chelsea, Club LeonGroup E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter MilanGroup F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns FCGroup G: Manchester City, Wydad AC, Al Ain FC, JuventusGroup H: Real Madrid, Al-Hilal, CF Pachuca, FC Salzburg
How the new Club World Cup will operate from 2025
Previously, the Club World Cup saw seven teams from the six FIFA confederations play in seven matches across 11 days at one host venue, although in 2025, 32 teams will compete across the United States with 63 games being played within a 28-day period.
The new format is similar to the old editions of the FIFA World Cup and Champions League, with the 32 teams split in eight groups of four. Individual groups will see each team face each other once, with the group winners and runners-up advancing to the knockout stages of the competition.
The groups were decided based on seeding, with eight teams being ranked in pots one to four. 31 teams earned their place based on merit, but the 32nd place at the Club World Cup is now reserved for a representative of the host nation, which saw Inter Miami selected.
Pot one was made up of the highest-ranked teams from Europe and South America, while pot two housed the remainder of the qualified teams from Europe. Pot three had the best teams from Asia, Africa, Concacaf, and the rest of South America, with the remaining clubs including Inter Miami, placed in pot four.
The opening match of the 2025 Club World Cup will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Sunday, June 15. The final is being held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, July 13, bringing the competition to a close.
While the competition is much longer than previously seen, it will not be played every four years instead of on an annual basis. It’s being used as a test event before each FIFA World Cup, and with the 2026 edition being held in the United States, the nation was also handed Club World Cup hosting rights.
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