Countdown to 2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Teams, Dates, Groups, Odds, and Venues

A confession: I was one of the few who got excited about the new-look Champions League.

So, when FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a new, expanded format for the FIFA Club World Cup—a competition I had previously cared little about—my interest was piqued.

Just imagine: instead of an annual 7-club kickabout that the press could barely keep alive, we get 32 of the world's top teams meeting for a World Cup-style competition. Sure, there are controversies around it and the calculation of who gets in is a little skewed, but FIFA pulled their weight and (somehow) made it happen.

There is clearly an intention to make the Club World Cup as competitive as possible. The clubs are coming fully stacked and the $1 billion prize money is nothing to sneeze at. And football? We’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like Goku fighting Naruto or Iron Man throwing punches with Captain America. And I’m here for it.

What and When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup expands on the old format to include 32 teams from every continent where football is a thing. The revamped competition will be played between June 14 and July 13, 2025, in 12 venues across the US. The opening game between Inter Miami and Egypt's Al Ahly takes place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The new-look format of the Club World Cup will mirror the upcoming World Cup contested by nations, itself revamped for 2026. Like the World Cup, the club version will be played every four years, the teams are divided into eight groups of four, with two clubs from each group advancing to knockout stages beginning with the last 16. The winner will receive a hefty $125 million taken from the even heftier $1 billion prize pot.

Fifa Club World Cup Teams Qualified

Europe, represented by UEFA, contributes 12 clubs to the competition and is by far the best-represented continent on the tour. Four spots go to the winner of the last four Champions Leagues, while UEFA's rankings determine the remaining spots.

Latin America (CONMEBOL) has six clubs joining the fray, with four from Brazil as winners of the last four Copa Libertadores and the famous Argentine pair earning their spots via CONMEBOL rankings.

Asia (AFC) and Africa (CAF) each have four spots, while North and Central America (CONCACAF) have four spots through qualification and another one as a host nation.

Oceania (OFC) secured one spot, and given that Auckland won 11 of the last 14 OFC Champions League titles, there was little doubt as to who that would be.

Groups

This is how it all looks divided into groups.

Tour Controversies

It would be unfair to discuss the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 without mentioning the controversies that surround the competition.

Months after the announcement, broadcasters and sponsors, who usually have a bidding war on these things, were sceptical. Moreover, European clubs were uncertain about their stance. Calls for player strikes over a crowded calendar only made matters worse.

But then DAZN stepped in to save the day, and the tour appeared imminent.

However, other problems began to emerge. Club León, who earned the spot as the winner of the CONCACAF Champions League, was disqualified for breaking FIFA's multi-club ownership rule. Quick to its feet, FIFA organized a play-in match to replace it. In the one-off play-in (playoff?) game, LAFC defeated Club América 2:1 after extra time.

But even more controversial was the inclusion of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. The last spot was supposed to be awarded to the domestic champion of the host nation, aka LA Galaxy. But then FIFA pivoted and excluded the MLS playoffs from the equation, claiming that the team with the best record during the league phase should play. That is how Inter Miami, despite losing in the first round of the playoffs, got the nod.

Best Odds on the Web

But history won't remember any of that. Like always, it only remembers the winners.

With the odds already out, let's examine the most enticing markets for the FIFA Club World Cup games.

Naturally, European teams are favoured by bookmakers, especially with the $125 million prize pot at stake. Real Madrid is the Jackbit favourite at 4.90. Los Blancos have had a dreadful season and see the new competition as a way to appease the fans.

Real Madrid is followed by PSG and Man City, both hovering between 5.80 and 6.00, depending on who you ask. For comparison, the highest chances of any non-European club are given to Flamengo. The Mengão are 35.00 on BC.GAME.

Rummaging through odds and markets, I found that the safest bets are for top team goalscorers. Haaland at 1.50 for Man City or Mbappe at 1.55 for Real Madrid are a steal at Jackbit.

Nevertheless, Stake has the most comprehensive offering for Club World Cup 2025. What caught my eye is that you can bet on which group pair advances to the knockout stage. For instance, PSG and Atletico Madrid are 1.66 at Stake to get out of Group B, while, perhaps more interestingly, Real Madrid and Al-Hilal are 2.50 to get out of Group H.

There’s also a Stake market for the highest scoring group. Group C with Bayern and Boca is lowest at 3.00, while Group A with Porto and Inter Miami is the highest at 13.00.