The stage is set for the 2025 Club World Cup that will take place in the United States. An expanded tournament will now include 32 teams in eight groups of four. The draw for those groups took place on Thursday in Miami and now we know who will face who. Inter Miami will begin on June 15 facing Al Ahly and the tournament will close on July 13 at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Let’s take a look at the groups, the group of death and rank the first five matches of the group stage:
The groups
Group A
- Palmeiras
- Port
- Al-Ahly
- InterMiami
Group B
- Paris Saint Germain
- Atlético de Madrid
- Botafogo
- Seattle Probes
Group C
- Bayern Munich
- FC Auckland
- Boca Juniors
- Benfica
Group D
- flamenco
- EN Tunisia
- Chelsea
- Club Leon
Group E
- Silver River
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- CF Monterrey
- Bury
Group F
- fluminense
- Borussia Dortmund
- Ulsan HD
- Mamelodi Sundowns FC
Group G
- city of manchester
- Wydad AC
- Al-Ain FC
- Juventus
Group H
- real Madrid
- Al-Hilal
- CF Pachuca
- RB Salzburg
Is there a death group?
While one conclusion is that since the draw had to separate the UEFA teams, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t seem more difficult to get out of one group than the other. At first glance, Group B and Group C are the standouts, but Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético de Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders barely edge out a group made up of Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica. PSG and Atleti are likely to be the teams that make the cut from that group, but if someone makes a mistake it’s time to be alert.
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5. Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly
Lionel Messi, new coach Javier Mascherano and Inter Miami may not have the biggest possible headline match against Al Ahly, but to kick off this star-studded tournament, they will surely put on a show. This is a big deal and is only the second time an MLS team has participated after the inclusion of the Seattle Sounders after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup and participating in 2022. It is a chance to make history and the first step is always the most important. one.
4. Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal
That the Galacticos face one of the best teams in the Saudi Pro League and former Barcelona player Joao Cancelo is also a big deal. The Saudi Pro League has already presented an offer to Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and could surely come for more Real Madrid players in the future. With the spending power to compete with the best in the world, there is no way to rule out Al-Hilal adding another star to their ranks either.
3. Chelsea against Flamengo
Brazilian teams always give their best in the Club World Cup and Flamengo is no stranger to this tournament. This is their second appearance in the last four years and they will face a new-look Chelsea. With the Blues on the rise under Enzo Maresca, being able to compete in a competition like this will be a good educational experience.
2. Bayern Munich vs. Benfica
They may have recently played in the Champions League, but in another group where dropped points can make the difference, Harry Kane taking on Angel Di María will be a moment. These teams are no strangers to top competition and performance on the global stage, while also boasting world stars in the making.
1. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético de Madrid
The start of the group of death is the most important duel because the loser between PSG and Atleti will find themselves behind the eight ball. In a group with Botafogo and the Sounders, there is no guarantee of going undefeated in all group stage matches, so any points dropped will be important. The post-Mbappé era has not been good for PSG, but they have plenty of time to figure things out before the Club World Cup.
Key dates of the Club World Cup
- June 15: Opening game at Hard Rock Stadium
- July 13: Final at MetLife Stadium
Club World Cup venues
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
- TQL Stadium, Cincinnatitti
- Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena
- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
- GEODIS Park, Nashville
- Camping World Stadium, Orlando
- Inter & Co Stadium, Orlando
- Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Lumen Field, Seattle
- Audi Field, Washington DC
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
