The 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA’s new global football tournament, will feature the top teams from the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA. The competition will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States, with the final scheduled at New York’s MetLife Stadium. Iconic stadiums across the country, including the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—famous for hosting the 1994 World Cup final between Italy and Brazil—will be used, along with venues in cities such as Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and Washington. The group stage and Round of 16 draw will be held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 7:00 PM CET, and broadcast live globally on FIFA’s official channels.
The participating teams have been divided into four pots, with Italian clubs Inter and Juventus in Pot 2. Pot 1 features the top European and South American teams, while Pot 2 includes leading Italian and other European clubs. According to the rules, groups will be formed based on a draw, adhering to sporting and geographical criteria. No group can include more than one team from the same confederation, except for Europe, where four groups will host two European clubs. The pots are as follows:
Pot 1: Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), PSG (FRA), Flamengo (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), River Plate (ARG), Fluminense (BRA)
Pot 2: Chelsea (ENG), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Inter (ITA), Porto (POR), Atlético Madrid (ESP), Benfica (POR), Juventus (ITA), RB Salzburg (AUT)
Pot 3: Al Hilal (KSA), Ulsan (KOR), Al Ahly (EGY), Wydad Casablanca (MAR), Monterrey (MEX), Club León (MEX), Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA)
Pot 4: Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), Al Ain (UAE), Espérance (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Pachuca (MEX), Seattle Sounders (USA), Auckland City (NZL), Inter Miami (USA)
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Each club must submit a preliminary squad of 26 to 50 players, including at least four goalkeepers. The final squad list will consist of 26 to 35 players, with a maximum of three goalkeepers. During the competition, clubs can adjust their final squad between June 27 and July 3, 2025. Permitted changes include replacing players whose contracts have expired and adding up to two new players, provided the total number of changes does not exceed six. Any changes must be communicated to FIFA at least 48 hours before the match.
The 32 participating teams will be divided into eight groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16. Each team will play three group matches with no return legs. In the event of a tie in points, tiebreakers such as goal difference, goals scored, and fair play records will determine the standings.
The knockout stage will feature single-elimination matches: Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Teams will have at least 72 hours of rest between games. The final group stage matches will be played simultaneously. Notably, there will be no third-place playoff, as losing semifinalists will be eliminated without an additional match.
