Agency :
The FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) is to kick-off on Saturday in the United States of America, ushering in a bold new chapter for a tournament that has long struggled to earn top-tier status.
Gone is the seven-team format and the filler slot on the holiday calendar. In its place is a bonafide 32-team competition, sprawling across four weeks, 12 venues and 11 cities, all culminating in a final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.
With $1 billion in prize money on offer, global superpowers and emerging challengers have more incentive than ever to treat this as a genuine quest for international glory.
The 2025 Club World Cup will be the first edition of a planned quadrennial tournament. The teams are split into eight groups of four, with the top two advancing to a round of 16. From there, every match is sudden death until one club lift the trophy in New Jersey next month.
The participants include champions and top-ranked teams from all six FIFA confederations. From European standard-bearers such as Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, to South American stalwarts Palmeiras, River Plate and Flamengo, the competition promises elite-level football – with potential surprises lurking in every group.
European dominance is a familiar storyline in Club World Cup history, with UEFA clubs winning every edition since 2013. Reigning champions Manchester City will be able to call upon 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri following the midfielder’s recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Manager Pep Guardiola has also refreshed his squad with several key signings, including midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, midfielder Rayan Cherki and left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri. The English club’s Group-G clash with Juventus on June 26 could be one of the group stage’s defining fixtures.
