🏆 What Can We Expect From This Summer’s Club World Cup?

Updated: 1 May 2025 3:13 pm

The 21st edition of FIFA’s international club competition is set to be completely different to any of its previous iterations, with a series of notable changes being implemented. The newly-revamped Club World Cup will involve a greater number of participants, attract higher commercial revenues, and benefit from an extremely lucrative broadcasting deal. Therefore, the tournament is expected to be bigger and better than ever before.

Ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup in North America, the U.S practices it’s hosting duties by staging this summer’s competition. A total of 63 matches will be played at 12 venues across the country, as 32 of the planet’s best teams battle to become club world champions. The opening fixture takes place at the Hard Rock Stadium on 14th June, as Inter Miami welcome Egyptian powerhouses Al Ahly to Florida.

How Did Teams Qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup?

In a bid to ensure strong global representation, each of the six FIFA-affiliated confederations were allocated a specific number of tournament slots. These slots were then distributed to teams via two qualification routes.

Winners of the last four editions of each confederation’s top-tier continental tournament automatically gained entry. Therefore, every team to have won the UEFA Champions League since the 2020/21 season – Chelsea, Manchester City, and Real Madrid – were extended an invite. As Real Madrid have been crowned European champions on two occasions within this timeframe, only the aforementioned three UEFA-based outfits could take advantage of this rule.

A coefficient points system determined the vast majority of the remaining participants. Again, performance in each confederation’s most-prestigious club competition was used as a defining metric. Teams accrued points for recording positive results and progressing to the latter stages of their respective competitions, with the best performing teams receiving a Club World Cup berth.

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Who Will Be Competing at the 2025 Club World Cup?

As representatives from all six confederations will descend on American soil this summer, the tournament has thrown up a handful of intriguing ties.

Although those that hail from the likes of Oceania, Asia, and Africa aren’t expected to challenge for silverware, every team has enough quality to be competitive. New Zealanders Auckland City are arguably the chief underdogs, despite having made more appearances at a Club World Cup than any other side. Lowly-ranked Ulsan HD and reigning South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns are also up against it, but this tournament has delivered more than a few shocks over the years.

Real Madrid are marginal favourites, edging Manchester City and Bayern Munich in the betting markets. Los Blancos are the tournament’s most successful team, having won the Club World Cup on five separate occasions. Although Manchester City have experienced an underwhelming 2024/25 campaign, the bookies still believe Pep Guardiola’s men are in within a shout of defending their title. Having triumphed in each of their previous two Club World Cup appearances, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are expected to make a big impact once again. Remarkably, the Bavarians have never conceded a goal in this competition.

Where Can I Watch the 2025 Club World Cup?

Every match will be shown live on DAZN, the exclusive broadcasting partner of the 2025 Club World Cup. It’s free to join DAZN, so you’ll be able to catch all the action without having to pay a subscription fee.

The tournament kicks-off on Saturday 14th June and lasts for approximately one month, as a group stage and subsequent set of knockout rounds determine the two finalists. The final takes place at New York’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday 13th July.