The revamped Club World Cup tournament will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13, with all the action beginning in Miami Gardens, where Inter Miami opens the tournament with a stand-alone game on Saturday night, June 14, against Al Ahly FC at 8:00 p.m.
Inter Miami soon has a chance to win $125 million and new fans' hearts worldwide. Let's dive into what you need to know to follow all the action.
FIFA Club World Cup Format
Before diving into the Club World Cup's who, what, when, and where, let's first cover how the teams qualified and how the tournament is structured.The most significant change from past years is that instead of the old 7-team format, this inaugural 32-team edition will resemble a World Cup for clubs, with 63 matches played over 29 days across the U.S. Teams are divided into eight groups of four, with each team playing three group matches. The top two in each group advance to a 16-team knockout bracket.
As the games progress, the tournament will follow a single-elimination format, with extra time and penalties applied as needed. If that all sounds familiar, it should. It's a lot like how the World Cup goes down.
The Teams
While we're all focused on what Messi and Inter Miami CF can accomplish against the sport's biggest clubs, other Davids want to take down the Goliaths.As mentioned, 32 teams have secured their spot in the Club World Cup. While many participating teams will be familiar, unless you're deeply plugged into Egyptian or New Zealand soccer, a few names might catch you off guard.
We've got a TL;DR on who's in the tournament below.
Host Nation (USA): Inter Miami CF
UEFA (Europe) – 12 Teams
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- Manchester City (England)
- Chelsea (England)
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
- Inter Milan (Italy)
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Juventus (Italy)
- Atlético Madrid (Spain)
- Porto (Portugal)
- SL Benfica (Portugal)
- Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
- Palmeiras (Brazil)
- Flamengo (Brazil)
- Fluminense (Brazil)
- Botafogo (Brazil)
- River Plate (Argentina)
- Boca Juniors (Argentina)
- Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia)
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
- Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates)
- Ulsan HD (South Korea)
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
- Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
- Monterrey (Mexico)
- Seattle Sounders (USA)
- Pachuca (Mexico)
- Los Angeles FC (USA)
What's at Stake
This is a lot, so lock in. We're discussing who gets what share of $1 billion bucks.The total prize pool for the Club World Cup comprises a $475 million sporting performance pillar and a $525 million participation pillar. How it's awarded is a bit more complicated.
Each club participating in the Club World Cup's group stage will earn $2 million for each win and $1 million for each draw. Advancing to the Round of 16 adds $7.5 million, while reaching the Quarterfinals brings another $13.125 million. Teams that make the Semi-finals receive $21 million more, and the Finalist earns an additional $30 million.
The tournament's winner receives an additional $40 million, in addition to any previous winnings. In total, $525 million has been allocated across all participating clubs for participation rewards, but there are further payouts for showing up.
Teams will receive payouts based on their continent, with European clubs earning between $12.81 million and $38.19 million, depending on a special ranking that considers both sporting and commercial performance. South American clubs receive $15.21 million, while clubs from North, Central America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa each receive $9.55 million. Clubs from Oceania receive $3.58 million.
Got all that? Neither do we! All you need to know is that Inter Miami CF stands to leave this tournament much richer — a boost that could elevate its on-field product for seasons to come.
How Inter Miami Got In
In true FIFA fashion, Inter Miami qualified for the Club World Cup not by winning a continental trophy but as the host country's representative. It's easy to see why an organization driven by money would pick a star-studded team in one of the world's top destination cities.Sorry, Sporting Kansas City. Sex, Messi, and Miami sell.
It's tough to put into words what hosting and participating in the FIFA Club World Cup means for Inter Miami. The contests mark Inter Miami's debut in a FIFA competition (and on home soil, at that) that features the world's elite clubs.
The pink and blacks carry the hopes of Inter fans into the tournament and those of all Major League Soccer fans who want to see the league further legitimized against the best global competition under plenty of bright lights. Sure, Seattle and Los Angeles are in the big dance, too — but Miami has the star power and Messi's 505 million Instagram followers to make a real global splash.
Inter Miami CF will face Al Ahly SC, FC Porto, and Palmeiras early on in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Inter Miami Matches
Inter Miami CF has landed in a spicy Group A, where they'll have their hands full. But hey, if you want to be the best in the world — and in the process, win $100-plus million — you've got to beat the best.Inter Miami joins Al Ahly SC from Egypt, SE Palmeiras from Brazil, and Portugal's FC Porto — no household names, but easy outs.
Inter Miami starts with a marquee tournament-opening matchup against Al Ahly on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium. Then it's off to Atlanta to face Porto on June 19 before coming back to close out the group against Palmeiras on June 23 in front of the home crowd again.
Only two teams move on. With two games in their backyard, the Herons have an advantage.
Match Schedule in Miami
Hard Rock Stadium will be a focal point of the Club World Cup, hosting eight matches. Below is the full schedule of Club World Cup matches in Miami, with Inter Miami CF's games in bold.June 14, 2025 (Saturday) – 8:00 p.m. – Al Ahly (EGY) vs Inter Miami CF (USA) – Group A (Opening Match)
June 16, 2025 (Monday) – 6:00 p.m. – CA Boca Juniors (ARG) vs SL Benfica (POR) – Group C
June 18, 2025 (Wednesday) – 3:00 p.m. – Real Madrid (ESP) vs Al Hilal SFC (KSA) – Group H
June 20, 2025 (Friday) – 9:00 p.m. – FC Bayern München (GER) vs CA Boca Juniors (ARG) – Group C
June 23, 2025 (Monday) – 9:00 p.m. – Inter Miami CF (USA) vs SE Palmeiras (BRA) – Group A
June 25, 2025 (Wednesday) – 3:00 p.m. – Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA) vs Fluminense FC (BRA) – Group F
June 29, 2025 (Sunday) – 4:00 p.m. – 1st Group D vs 2nd Group C – Round of 16
July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) – 3:00 p.m. – 1st Group H vs 2nd Group G – Round of 16
Six Stars to Watch
If you're a casual soccer fan wondering who the LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes are of the tournament, FIFA has you covered. Below are the six names the organization spotlights as the best-of-the-best.Messi, of course, is included on the list. A trio of Real Madrid stars will also play at Hard Rock Stadium.
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid C.F.)
Rodri (Manchester City)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid C.F.)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid C.F.)
How to Watch From Home
If you're a fan of March Madness, finding all your preferred Club World Cup matches will be a breeze. If not, the sprawling schedule and shifting matchups might feel overwhelming — but don't worry, we've got you covered.The easiest way to catch all the action is via DAZN, which will broadcast all 63 games live.
Of the 63 matches, TNT Sports, TBS, and truTV24 (the same group of channels known for broadcasting March Madness) will air 24 on traditional television. These selected matches are expected to include the biggest games: Inter Miami's matches, other high-profile group stage matchups like those featuring Real Madrid, and every game in the knockout rounds, including the final.
The tournament's opening match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly will air live on TNT, and the final will air on July 13. TNT plans to complement the broadcasts with studio programming, including pre- and post-match analysis, highlights, and possibly familiar soccer pundits.
If you're in Miami, tune into TNT, TBS, or truTV according to the match schedule. TelevisaUnivision holds the rights for Spanish-language viewers and will air games on Univision, UniMás, and TUDN, offering energetic commentary and full match coverage in Spanish.
