Just two days before the draw for the 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has gradually revealed details about the tournament’s organization. On Tuesday, the governing body made public the division of teams into four pots for the draw and also made a significant announcement regarding Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
As the representatives of the host country, the Herons will occupy the fourth spot in Group A and will play the opening match of the competition. But that’s not all: they will also have the privilege of playing in their own city, as the tournament’s opening match will take place on June 15 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Inter Miami’s participation is made possible by their status as U.S. representatives after winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. In contrast, the other Major League Soccer team in the tournament, the Seattle Sounders, earned their spot by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. The Rave Green will debut in the tournament shortly after Inter Miami, also in their home city, at Lumen Field.
How will the draw be organized?
Some aspects of the group organization for the 2025 Club World Cup have already been determined. For instance, Inter Miami has been placed in Group A, while the Seattle Sounders are in Group B. However, the placement of the remaining 30 teams will still be decided during the draw. This is significant not only for the composition of each group but also for determining the Playoff matchups.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino hands over the FIFA Club World Cup trophy to Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea following the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 Final match between Chelsea and Palmeiras at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The 32 participating clubs are divided into four pots. Pot 1 will consist of the top four European teams (Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain) and the four best South American teams (Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, and Fluminense). Pot 2 will include the remaining eight European teams: Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, and FC Salzburg.
Pot 3 contains the rest of the South American teams (Boca Juniors and Botafogo), along with the top two teams from other Confederations: Al Hilal, Ulsan Hyundai, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Monterrey, and Leon. Pot 4 will group the remaining teams: Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Esperance de Tunisie, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, Auckland City, and Inter Miami.
The draw system
FIFA has outlined specific considerations for the Club World Cup draw. The most notable rule is that no more than one team from the same Confederation can be placed in the same group. The only exception is Europe: with 12 clubs participating, four groups will feature two teams from UEFA.
see also
Messi and Ronaldo among the nominees for FIFPro awards: Who has had more appearances?
After the draw, FIFA will announce the match days and venues for each group. This decision will take into account various factors, including sporting and player-centric considerations, local fan attendance, travel logistics, and global broadcast requirements.
The draw for the 2025 Club World Cup will take place this Thursday, December 5, in Miami at 1 PM local time. Soccer legends are expected to attend, as is customary at major FIFA events like the World Cup. Additionally, millions of fans around the world will be tuning in, eager to learn the fate of their favorite teams in what promises to be an unforgettable tournament.
