The 21st FIFA Club World Cup is a revamped and expanded format that will could give this event hype approaching Olympic soccer and just about every soccer tournament not called the World Cup.
Previously, this tournament had been an annual event consisting of seven teams, one from the six FIFA continental confederations and one additional team from the host nations.
The 2025 edition will see the event grow to 32 teams – but also change to a showdown that takes place every four years. The 2025 edition is set for the United States between June 15 and July 13.
Let’s take a look at the tournament’s structure as you consider whether to include this event in your sports betting next summer.
Expert Soccer Picks: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Preview
What is the tournament format?
Much like the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup will see the teams drawn into eight groups of four teams each, and each side will play each other once. The winner and runner-up from each group will enter a knockout tournament that begins with a round of 16 and continues to a final. If any knockout matches end in a draw, they will go to extra time and, if necessary, penalty kicks.
^How do teams qualify for the field of 32 teams?
Clubs were taken from each of the six continental confederations – AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA, and each confederation received a pre-set number of slots based on relative strength. UEFA received 12 slots, and CONMEBOL received six. Asia, Africa, and CONCACAF each received four slots, and Oceania will receive one. The 32nd slot goes to a club from the host country, in this case, the United States.
The European clubs were chosen on the basis of Champions League performances over the past four season – teams that win the tournament, accompanied by other teams that perform the best over that time period without actually hoisting the event trophy. A similar process takes place with CONMEBOL. The confederations with four slots will send the last four winners of the continent’s top club tournament.
Oceania will send the top-ranking club out of the last four victors in the OFC Champions League. There is also a rule that only two teams per nation may qualify, unless more than two teams from a country have won the continental title over the last four years. So such blue-blood teams as Barcelona and Liverpool will not appear.
^How did Inter Miami qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup?
The United States is the host nation, and FIFA gave Inter Miami the host nation slot as that team won the Supporters’ Shield, which goes to the team with the best regular-season record, in 2024. That meant that the last team to win an MLS title, the Columbus Crew, were not selected.
One factor in this decision was likely the presence of Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, and who will likely drum up more interest for the event – which, as of this writing, still does not have a television broadcast partner in the United States.
^What are the groups for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
The groups were drawn on December 5, and they are as follows:
- A Group: SE Palmeiras (Brazil), FC Porto (Portugal), Al Ahly FC (Egypt), Inter Miami (USA)
- B Group: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Atletico Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Seattle Sounders FC (USA)
- C Group: Bayern Munich (Germany), Auckland City FC (New Zealand), CA Boca Juniors (Argentina), Benfica (Portugal)
- D Group: CR Flamengo (Brazil), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Chelsea (England), Club Leon (Mexico)
- E Group: CA River Plate (Argentina), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), CF Monterrey (Mexico), Inter Milan (Italy)
- F Group: Fluminense FC (Brazil), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Ulsan HD (South Korea), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa)
- G Group: Manchester City (England), Wydad AC (Morocco), Al Ain FC (UAE), Juventus (Italy)
- H Group: Real Madrid (Spain), Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), CF Pachuca (Mexico), FC Salzburg (Austria)
What are each team’s odds to win the FIFA Club World Cup?
Here are the opening Club World Cup odds for the top 10 teams:
- Manchester City +350
- Real Madrid +410
- Bayern Munich +510
- Inter Milan +1000
- Chelsea +1000
- Paris Saint-Germain +1200
- Atletico Madrid +1625
- Juventus +2000
- Dortmund +2500
- Botafogo +2500
Mark. Your. Calendars. ✍️🗓️
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) December 7, 2024
The #FIFACWC 2025 match schedule is here. pic.twitter.com/zZaab9Xi6h
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