On Saturday, Botafogo of Brazil triumphed 3-1 over Atletico Mineiro in the Copa Libertadores final in Buenos Aires, securing their first-ever continental title. With this victory, Botafogo claimed the final spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States next summer. Now, attention turns to the draw, which will determine the groupings and potential playoff matchups for the tournament.
The official draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami at 1 PM local time. Renowned soccer personalities will be on hand to draw the teams into eight groups of four, setting the stage for the tournament’s opening phase.
Along with Botafogo, South America will be represented by five other teams: Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense, River Plate, and Boca Juniors. Europe leads the way with a total of 12 teams: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and RB Salzburg.
Africa will be represented by Al Ahly SC, Wydad AC, Esperance de Tunis, and Mamelodi Sundowns. From Asia, the contenders are Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, and Ulsan Hyundai. Oceania will have just one team, Auckland City, while the North and Central American clubs will be Monterrey, Leon, Pachuca, and Seattle Sounders. Finally, Inter Miami will represent the host nation as the winners of the Supporters’ Shield.
Lionel Messi #10 and Inter Miami lift the Supporters’ Shield after defeating New England Revolution at Chase Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
When will the Club World Cup begin?
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will kick off on June 15, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, marking the beginning of the highly anticipated tournament in the United States. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, as the host country representative, will feature in the opening match.
The tournament will follow a familiar structure, similar to recent editions of the FIFA World Cup. There will be eight groups of four teams each, with each team facing off in a round-robin format during the group stage. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, where the knockout phase will begin. The final will be held on July 13, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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Venues for the 2025 Club World Cup
In addition to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the tournament will be played across 10 other major venues in the United States:
* Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, GA
* TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, OH
* Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC
* Rose Bowl Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
* GEODIS Park – Nashville, TN
* Camping World Stadium – Orlando, FL
* Inter&Co Stadium – Orlando, FL
* Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA
* Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
* Audi Field – Washington, D.C.
With these iconic stadiums set to host the world’s best clubs and, therefore, also the world’s top players, anticipation is growing for what promises to be an unforgettable tournament.
