2' min
For the first time, club football is set to embrace a World Cup-style tournament. Running from June 14 to July 13, 2025, the FIFA Club World Cup will be hosted in the United States and feature 32 teams in a format modeled after the FIFA World Cup editions from 1998 to 2022. The only major tweak? No third-place playoff.
Tournament structure and rules
The 32 qualified clubs have been drawn into eight groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16. If teams finish level on points, the usual tie-breakers apply: head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, fair play (yellow/red cards), and, if needed, a random draw.
The knockout stage starts from the round of 16 and follows a fixed bracket system, with single-elimination matches decided by extra time and penalties if needed. Example matchups include:
1st Group A vs 2nd Group B
1st Group B vs 2nd Group A
1st Group C vs 2nd Group D, and so on until Group H
This setup could immediately throw up blockbuster ties: Inter could face Fluminense or Borussia Dortmund, while Juventus might find themselves up against Real Madrid, or other contenders like Salzburg, Al Hilal, or Pachuca in Group H. If both Italian clubs advance, a potential all-Italian quarter-final isn’t off the table.
Confederation slots and squad regulations
The distribution of clubs across confederations reflects global football dynamics:
UEFA (Europe): 12 teams
CONMEBOL (South America): 6
AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North & Central America): 4 each
OFC (Oceania): 1
CONCACAF also gets 1 additional slot as the host confederation
Teams will submit squads of 26 to 35 players, with final lists allowed to change between June 27 and July 3 to account for transfers and contract changes. A maximum of 15 substitutes will be allowed on the bench per match.
Host cities and venues
Group stage matches will be held across multiple U.S. cities. Groups B and E will play largely on the West Coast, with matches in Pasadena (Rose Bowl) and Seattle (Lumen Field). Inter will play two of its group games in Pasadena and one in Seattle.
Juventus, meanwhile, is set to play in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Orlando. Florida will be a key hub, hosting matches in Miami and two venues in Orlando, including one near the Universal Studios theme parks.
The East Coast and select inland cities — such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, and Nashville — will host most of the tournament. From the quarter-finals onwards, all matches will take place at a single venue: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside Manhattan.
The countdown to a historic Club World Cup has begun.
