The newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup will get underway with a blockbuster opener between Inter Miami and Egyptian giants Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium, in the USA on Saturday, June 14th.
The new format, which will come into effect with the 2025 edition, features 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation; 12 teams from Europe, six from South America, four from Asia, four from Africa, four from North, Central America and Caribbean, one from Oceania, and one team from the host nation.
The teams are drawn into eight groups of four, with each team playing three group stage matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final.
Apart from Al Ahly, who are the record 12-time continental champions, other African teams set to grace the tournament include South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Tunisia's Esperance. No African side has won the Club World Cup, with only two reaching the final during 20 previous editions.
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Al Ahly to kick off action for African teams
The Egyptian giants, who secured their spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by winning the 2023/24 CAF Champions League, have been pooled in Group A alongside Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, Palmeiras and FC Porto.
Al Ahly, who will be under new Spanish coach Jose Riviero, after he quit Orlando Pirates of South Africa, will take on Inter Miami in the opening fixture of the tournament on Saturday, June 14th.
Al Ahly, whose best performance best performance in the tournament came in 2023 when they beat Urawa Red Diamonds to finish in third place, will next take on Palmeiras at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, June 19th before winding up their group fixtures against Porto at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, June 24th.
As they come up against Messi in the opener, coach Riveiro has revealed how they have prepared to stop him.
“Messi is a great player with extraordinary abilities, known all over the world. He can change the course of any match. But we have thoroughly prepared to face him and to stop him. Messi is not the only threat - they have other experienced players as well,” declared Riveiro, as quoted by Foot Africa.
On what they want to achieve in the tournament, the Spanish tactician said: “We hope to achieve positive results in the group stage and qualify for the round of 16. Al Ahly has a unique character and always wants to be competitive in every tournament, which is why we will face major challenges at the Club World Cup.”
Al Ahly head into the tournament having been crowned Egyptian Premier League champions for the 45th time, finishing at the top, two points ahead of second-placed Pyramids.
Al Ahly’s Group A fixtures:
Saturday, 14 June
Al Ahly FC v Inter Miami CF - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, 20:00
Thursday, 19 June
SE Palmeiras v Al Ahly FC - MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey, 12:00
Monday, 23 June
FC Porto v Al Ahly FC - MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey, 21:00
Mamelodi Sundowns
The South African Premier League, who will be looking to do their nation and continent proud in the USA, have been drawn in Group F alongside CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense FC, German giants Borussia Dortmund and Korea Republic's Ulsan HD, who both secured their respective passages to the tournament via the ranking pathway.
Sundowns, who will be making a return to a FIFA competition for the first time in almost 10 years at the 2025 Club World Cup, will kick off their campaign at Inter & Co Stadium on Wednesday, June 18th, before taking on Borussia Dortmund at TQL Stadium in matchday two on Saturday, June 21.
Sundowns will then wind up their preliminary fixtures against Fluminense at Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday, June 25th. Sundowns earned their place at the FIFA Club World Cup via the CAF ranking pathway.
Their consistent participation in the CAF Champions League in the four-year qualifying period (2020-24), in which they reached the quarter-finals and semifinals twice apiece, ensured they qualified for the tournament that will be played in the USA.
Sundowns' Group F fixtures:
Tuesday, 17 June
Ulsan HD v Mamelodi Sundowns FC - Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, 18:00
Saturday, 21 June
Mamelodi Sundowns FC v Borussia Dortmund - TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, 12:00
Wednesday, 25 June
Mamelodi Sundowns FC v Fluminense FC - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, 15:00
Wydad Casablanca
The Moroccan powerhouse, who qualified for the first edition of the global club tournament in 2025, have been drawn into Group G, where they will go head-to-head with Manchester City, winners of the UEFA Champions League in 2022/23, Al Ain FC, who qualified by lifting the 2023/24 AFC Champions League, and European giants Juventus FC, who booked their place via the ranking pathway.
Wydad will open their campaign against Man City at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Wednesday, June 18th, face Juventus at the same venue on Sunday, June 22nd, before winding up their group test against Al Ain FC at Audi Field in Washington D.C. on Thursday, June 26th.
Wydad's Group G fixtures:
Wednesday, 18 June
Manchester City v Wydad AC - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 12:00
Sunday, 22 June
Juventus FC v Wydad AC - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 12:00
Thursday, 26 June
Wydad AC v Al Ain FC - Audi Field, Washington, D.C., 15:00
Esperance of Tunis
Esperance have been drawn into Group D and will come up against 2022 Copa Libertadores winners CR Flamengo, English Premier League side Chelsea, who lifted the UEFA Champions League in 2020/2021, and LAFC, who qualified after beating Club America in a Play-In match.
They will kick off their campaign against Flamengo on Monday, June 16th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, confront LAFC in their matchday two at GEODIS Park, in Nashville, on Friday, June 20th, and conclude their preliminary campaign against Chelsea Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 24th.
Esperance booked their spot at the new-look FIFA Club World Cup via the CAF ranking pathway thanks to their consistently impressive performances in Africa’s elite club competition over the past four seasons.
Esperance coach Maher Kanzari has challenged the four-time African champions, who will be taking part for the first time since 2019, to “rise to the occasion” to the occasion in the USA.
“Representing Esperance, Tunisia and the African continent is a huge responsibility,” he said as quoted by BBC. “We know that the eyes of the fans will be on us, and we will give our utmost to demonstrate a level befitting African football."
Esperance's Group D fixtures:
Monday, 16 June
CR Flamengo v Esperance - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 21:00
Friday, 20 June
LAFC v Esperance - GEODIS Park, Nashville, 17:00
Tuesday 24 June
Esperance v Chelsea FC - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 21:00
Spanish giants Real Madrid hold the record for most titles, having won the competition five times. Corinthians’ inaugural victory remains the best result from a host nation’s national league champions. Teams from Spain have won the tournament eight times, the most for any nation.
England has the largest number of winning teams, with four clubs having won the tournament. The current world champions are Manchester City, who defeated Fluminense 4-0 in the 2023 final.
The first-ever FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in 2000, during which year it ran in parallel with the Intercontinental Cup, a competition played by the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores, with the champions of each tournament both retroactively recognised by FIFA as club world champions in 2017.
Dennis MabukaFlashscore News