Will Lionel Messi play at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025? | OneFootball

Lionel Messi may no longer be the world's greatest on-field talent, but few draw crowds like the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

The Argentinian maestro has unrivalled pull when it comes to attracting global audiences, with football supporters across the globe desperate to see the 37-year-old live in the flesh before he hangs his boots up for good.

FIFA's decision to not only expand but entirely reformat their Club World Cup competition has raised eyebrows but the 2025 edition of the tournament is certain to garner plenty of attention. With North America hosting the event, Inter Miami superstar Messi would be a useful poster boy for world football's governing body.

But will Messi feature at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

Will Lionel Messi play at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

Messi will play at the tournament in his new home / CHRIS ARJOON/GettyImages

Inter Miami will be one of the sides competing at the Club World Cup next summer. They are one of five teams from CONCACAF to have made it to the competition, although the Herons have merely qualified as a host club and not due to their on-field achievements.

That means Messi and his former Barcelona chums Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez will be competing with the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea. Al Nassr's absence means there will be no final meeting with rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Inter Miami have been assigned to Group A due to their status as a host and will kick the tournament off in the first match on 15 June.

Lionel Messi record at the FIFA Club World Cup

Messi has a great record in the competition's history / Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages

Messi has an impressive record in the Club World Cup in its previous format, thrice being named world champion during his Barcelona days. Triumphs in 2009, 2011 and 2015 mean he was successful in all three of his appearances following Barca Champions League victories. He missed the 2006 edition through injury.

Unsurprisingly, Messi was instrumental in La Blaugrana lifting the trophy on three separate occasions, scoring five goals in the five matches he's played in the competition. He scored the winner in the 2009 final after extra-time against Estudiantes de La Plata and bagged a brace in the final two years later during a 4-0 thrashing of Santos.

His most recent appearance in 2015 also resulted in individual and team glory as he scored in a 3-0 win over Argentinian giants River Plate in the showpiece event.

When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The old Club World Cup trophy has been ditched for 2025 / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Now taking place every four years instead of annually, the 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup will be staged next summer. After the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, the revamped competition will commence on 15 June and conclude on 13 July, with 12 venues in use across the United States.

The old format of the Club World Cup has been repackaged and will continue as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup - the first of which takes place in December 2024. However, the new iteration of the tournament has been altered drastically.

This time around there will be a traditional group stage followed by knockout rounds, with clubs from all six confederations playing a minimum of three matches and a maximum of seven.

How many teams compete at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

Man City and Chelsea will be at the tournament / ADRIAN DENNIS/GettyImages

The expansion of the 2025 Club World Cup has been vast, with 32 teams now competing at the tournament. The group stage contains eight groups of four clubs, with the top two sides from each group reaching the knockout stages.

All six continental federations are represented in the competition, with the OFC having the fewest teams (just Auckland City) and UEFA boasting the most clubs (12).