FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Dates, teams, format and betting | OneFootball

Football Tips

32 teams will compete to get their hands on the Club World Cup trophy

Jack Critchley sets the scene for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, taking a closer look at each group, picking out the key dates and highlighting the latest Betfair odds for this summer's tournament...

What is the Club World Cup?

The FIFA Club World Cup is a continental club competition which was first held in December 2000. Originally scheduled to take place on an annual basis pre-Christmas, the competition underwent a significant overhaul for 2025 with FIFA announcing that the line-up will be expanded to 32 teams and moved to mid-summer.

The tournament will feature the most successful clubs from each of the six confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.

Previous hosts of the tournament include Brazil, Japan, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

When and where is the Club World Cup 2025?

The tournament is being held in the USA for the first time in its history. A total of 63 matches will be played across 12 venues including Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium and Washington's Audi Field. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Los Angeles has the highest attendance with a capacity to hold 88,500 fans.

The first match of the tournament will take place between Inter Miami and Al Ahly on June 14 2025 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The final will take place in Rutherford on July 13.

How can I watch the FIFA Club World Cup?

DAZN have picked up the rights to show every match of the Club World Cup and will be offering free-to-air coverage on their app worldwide. In the UK, Channel 5 have agreed a sub licensing deal to show 23 matches including 15 group stage contests, one of the two semi-finals and the final.

How does the FIFA Club World Cup work?

The tournament format is fairly straightforward with the 32 teams divided into eight groups. The top two teams in each section will automatically progress to the round of 16, which will begin on June 28th.

The qualified teams will take part in one-legged knock-out games from the round of 16 through to the final. Extra time and penalties may be required at this stage.

FIFA have confirmed that there will not be a third-place play-off match at this tournament.

Groups and teams

At the time of writing, 31 of the 32 teams have been confirmed for the tournament. A playoff match between Los Angeles FC and Mexico's Club America will take place on 31 May with the winner earning a spot in Group D alongside Chelsea, Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis.

Twelve European sides will take part in the tournament and six South American teams will also be involved. The rest of the line-up includes two MLS teams, four African sides and two Mexican outfits, although this may increase to three, depending on the outcome of the playoff game.

Hosts Inter Miami are in Group A alongside Porto, Al Ahly and Palmeiras. Champions League finalists PSG are 9/1 for success and they have been drawn in Group B alongside Atletico Madrid. The two European sides will be expected to finish in the top two spots ahead of Seattle Sounders and Botafogo.

Two-time Club World Cup winners Bayern Munich have been priced up as the third favourites at 11/2 and have been placed in Group C alongside Benfica, Boca Juniors and the sole representative from OFC, Auckland City.

It's been 15 years since Inter Milan, who also have a Champions League final to play, were last successful in this tournament and Group E looks relatively winnable for the Nerrazzuri. They will face River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan and Monterrey.

Dortmund are the headline act in Group F, although Fluminense are likely to be strong. Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD complete this section. Holders Manchester City and Juventus have been paired together in Group G, alongside Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca.

The final four teams have been pitched together in Group H including tournament favourites Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, Al Hilal and Pachuca.

Club World Cup betting

Teams from the UK, Spain and Germany have won the last 11 stagings of this tournament, albeit in the old format of the competition. FIFA have insisted that participants ensure that their strongest squads are available throughout the event but, owing to injuries and fatigue, European sides are likely to rotate, particularly during the group stage.

It isn't surprising to see Real Madrid as favourites at 7/2 with Man City available at 9/2 to clinch back-to-back Club World Cup titles.

Atleti could be an interesting alternative at 14/1 with Dortmund, who ended the Bundesliga season strongly, available at 22/1.

A Brazilian side has made it to the final in four of the last seven stagings and, although the expanded format may not be accommodating to the South Americans, Palmeiras at 22/1 could offer a bit of each-way value.

33/1.