“Get ready, soccer fans! The most anticipated tournament in the international club soccer calendar is around the corner, and this time, it’s going to be a game-changer. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is just on the horizon, and we can barely contain our excitement. For the first time in history, the beautiful city of Miami will host the prestigious tournament, and what’s more, our very own Inter Miami CF will be vying for the top honors.
Imagine the world’s best clubs, the crème de la crème of international soccer, descending upon the Magic City, ready to battle it out on the pitch. The electric atmosphere, the thrill of the unknown, and the promise of witnessing greatness unfold before our very eyes – it’s an event that’s too good to miss!
The Competition: Teams, Format, and Schedule
What is the Format of the Club World Cup?
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ will mirror the old format of the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League. With the 32 clubs drawn into eight groups of four, they play each other once and filter into a knockout tournament. The group winners and runners-up go through and then it’s a straight knockout competition — round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final — with extra time and penalties determining who progresses should a game end in a draw.
Dates and Fixtures for the Club World Cup
The opening match, Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami, will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday, June 14. The final is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, July 13. The rest of the fixtures can be seen here.
How Teams Qualified for the New Club World Cup: Continental Titles and Rankings
There were two ways to qualify: 1) By winning a continental title (e.g. UEFA Champions League, CONMEBOL Libertadores, etc) in one of the four most-recent seasons. If a club wins the title more than once in this period (such as Real Madrid), the slot(s) is passed to a team who qualifies from 2). 2) By having a high ranking of performance in the top-level continental tournament over the four-year period. Each confederation has been given a set number of places based upon its strength. As such, UEFA has 12 slots, and CONMEBOL six. There’s four each for Concacaf, Asia and Africa, plus one for Oceania.
Who has qualified for this edition of the Club World Cup? Each country was allowed a maximum of two participants, with one caveat. All continental champions have a right to play at the Club World Cup, and Brazilian clubs are so dominant in South American football they they have won all four qualifying editions of the CONMEBOL Libertadores (it’s actually the last six back to 2020), each with a different club. So, Brazil gets four teams in the competition, rather than two. Once the standard two-per-country limit was hit, another club from that nation couldn’t qualify by the ranking route — and this has ruled out six teams: Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and AC Milan.
- For instance, as Chelsea and Manchester City claimed a slot by winning the Champions League in recent seasons, Liverpool — ranked eighth — were bypassed to fill up the UEFA allocation because there were already two Premier League teams.
- Benfica (ranked 13th), Juventus (14th) and RB Salzburg (18th) benefitted when, over the four years, other clubs have performed better.
- Barcelona miss out because their results in the Champions League have been slightly worse than than of Atlético Madrid, who take a ranking place.
Inter Miami CF’s Group Stage Schedule: Dates, Times, and Opponents
Inter Miami CF’s Group Stage Schedule:
- Saturday, June 14 vs. Al Ahly FC at 8 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium
- Thursday, June 19 vs. FC Porto at 3 p.m. ET at Mercedes Benz Stadium
- Monday, June 23 vs. Palmeiras at 9 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium
Conclusion
As we conclude our comprehensive guide to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, featuring Inter Miami CF, it’s essential to recap the crucial points that make this tournament a watershed moment in the world of football. From the tournament’s rich history and format to Inter Miami CF’s journey to the competition, we’ve delved into the intricacies that make this event a spectacle like no other. We’ve also explored the potential impact of this competition on the sport, including the opportunities for exposure, growth, and global unity that it presents.
As we look to the future, the implications of this tournament extend far beyond the confines of the stadium. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has the potential to inspire a new generation of footballers, to foster greater cultural understanding and exchange, and to drive investment in grassroots football development programs around the world. As the beautiful game continues to transcend borders and unite people from all walks of life, this tournament serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of sport. As we count down the days to the kick-off, one thing is certain – the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, featuring Inter Miami CF, is poised to be an unforgettable experience that will leave an indelible mark on the world of football.
As the curtain rises on this epic event, we’re reminded that football is more than just a game – it’s a universal language that speaks directly to our hearts. And as we bear witness to the drama, skill, and passion that will unfold over the coming weeks, let us not forget the profound impact that this tournament can have on our lives and our world. So, let the beautiful game begin, and let us be inspired by the power of football to unite, to uplift, and to transform. For in the words of the great Nelson Mandela, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else can.”