The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to be a groundbreaking 32-team intercontinental tournament, scheduled to take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025. Designed to mirror the format of the FIFA World Cup, the competition will feature clubs qualifying through continental trophies and rankings. Today, the final team was confirmed, completing the list of participants for this historic event.
The last remaining vacancy in the 32-team competition was up for grabs, with the winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores earning a spot. In a thrilling final, which saw a red card in the opening minute, Botafogo triumphed over Atletico Mineiro with a 3-1 victory, securing their place in the tournament.
The win marks Botafogo’s first-ever Copa Libertadores title and makes them the fourth Brazilian club to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup. They join Palmeiras, Flamengo, and Fluminense as the Brazilian representatives in the competition.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino‘s idea is to bring together the most successful clubs from across the globe, all competing for the coveted trophy. The tournament will take place in the United States, with clubs from the following regions set to participate. There are 12 teams from Europe (UEFA), 6 from South America (CONMEBOL), 4 from North America (CONCACAF), 4 from Asia (AFC), 4 from Africa (CAF), 1 from Oceania (OFC), and 1 from the host nation, who ended up being Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami after winning the Supporters Shield.
The Federations and participating teams:
The competition will be held at various stadiums across the U.S., including locations in Florida, Washington, California, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is also set to host the FIFA World Cup final in 2026.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature a similar format to that of the FIFA World Cup. The 32 teams will be split into eight groups of four, each playing a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage, while the third and fourth-place finishers in each group will be eliminated. The knockout rounds will be a direct single-elimination format, starting from the Round of 16 and culminating in the final.
The draw for the tournament will take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, where the matchups and group stage composition will be revealed, and teams will have an idea for their upcoming rivals.
