GENEVA: Soccer’s biggest ever global club tournament is coming to the United States next year and the 32-team group stage will be drawn Thursday.
European powers Real Madrid and Manchester City, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, recently crowned South American champion Botafogo and top clubs from Asia, Africa and Oceania are among the teams who are in the draw for FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup.
The tournament, which used to be played annually in December, will take place in 11 US cities from June 15 to July 13 in an expanded format with 32 teams instead of the previous seven. Going forward the Club World Cup will be played every four years – just like the World Cup for national teams, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada in 2026.
Here’s what to know about the Club World Cup draw, which is made in Miami at 1 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Thursday.
What is the Club World Cup?
FIFA and its presidents have long coveted a prime piece of club soccer content.
The 2025 Club World Cup is FIFA’s most ambitious project, creating a month-long tournament in a mid-June to mid-July slot historically used by the men’s World Cup, which draws the biggest audiences in global sports.
The new club competition uses the traditional 32-team format used by the World Cup from 1998 to 2022. Eight round-robin groups of four teams each, and the top two advance to a knockout bracket of 16.
In allocating 32 entries, FIFA tried to balance getting the best and most watchable teams with giving all the world a chance to compete and develop.
Europe got 12 places, South America six, while Africa, Asia and North America got four each. One place went to Oceania and one to the host nation that should change for each edition.
Teams qualified by winning their continental championship from 2021 through 2024, or ranking highly with consistent results across those four seasons. Countries are capped at two entries unless more won titles. Brazil will send four different Copa Libertadores winners and Mexico three champions of the CONCACAF region. The other North American champion was Seattle Sounders.
Who will play?
Storied and wealthy European names are in: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. The current leaders of most of Europe’s strongest leagues miss out: Liverpool, Barcelona, Napoli and Sporting Lisbon.
Salzburg earned the last European entry last season based on FIFA’s ranking system though it can hardly be considered among Europe’s top clubs: it’s currently 32nd in the new 36-team Champions League standings.
Argentina’s big two clubs, River Plate and Boca Juniors, are in. The Brazilian and Mexican entries include, respectively, Fluminense and Pachuca, both currently 16th in their national league standings.
Africa’s entries include Al Ahly of Egypt — three times champion of Africa in the last four years — and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, which is owned by FIFA vice president Patrice Motsepe.
Saudi Arabia sends Al-Hilal, the 2021 champion of Asia, which won the domestic league last season despite losing Neymar to a long-term injury.
If they stay fit, the tournament will feature a new generation of stars such as Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will be there, with a FIFA thumb on the scales in October to give the team the host nation’s entry. Two other stars from Messi’s generation will miss out: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and Barcelona with Robert Lewandowski failed to qualify through their continental Champions League competitions.
Why is Inter Miami playing?
The previous version of the Club World Cup kept an entry for the host nation’s champion. But this time FIFA did not wait for the MLS Cup title game on Saturday, when LA Galaxy hosts New York Red Bulls. Neither will be in the draw Thursday.
Instead, Inter Miami, with the star power of Lionel Messi on the field and co-owner David Beckham, was given the Club World Cup place in October based on regular-season standings. It will play three group-stage games in Florida, including opening the tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium.
What are they playing for?
Money and a trophy. Which is more prized by club owners is a debate to be had.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money, with reported guarantees of $50 million to top European teams, though it is currently unclear where from.
FIFA signed a global broadcasting deal Wednesday with streaming service DAZN to make all 63 games available for free. The value of the deal was not disclosed, and allows the streaming service to sell on rights to public broadcasters.
DAZN has close ties with Saudi Arabia, which promotes and stages top-level boxing title fights.
The new gold trophy has been fashioned by Tiffany and has Infantino’s name engraved on it twice. Plus his signature.
What is the tournament’s history?
Traditionally, the champions of Europe and South America played for the Intercontinental Cup. From 1980 to 2004 the game was played in Japan and usually in December.
FIFA launched a Club World Championship in 2000, played in January by eight teams in Brazil. It was not held again for nearly six years.
From 2005 through last year, the annual FIFA Club World Cup was played each December, settling on a seven-team knockout format: the six reigning continental champions and the host nation’s domestic champion. Hosts rotated between Japan, Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Qatar and, for its final edition last December, Saudi Arabia.
This annual event was unloved in Europe. The UEFA Champions League winner typically arrived for two games in four days and took home the trophy. Chelsea in 2012 was the only European team to lose in the past 17 years.
When first elected in 2016, Infantino spoke of FIFA’s need for a bigger, more attractive and lucrative club event.
In his previous job as UEFA general secretary, he helped organize the Champions League, in peak years of Messi winning the title at Barcelona and Ronaldo with Manchester United and then Real Madrid.
First, Infantino had a secretive $25 billion deal for new tournaments including a 24-team Club World Cup worth $3 billion every four years from 2021. That was blocked by European soccer officials.
Agreement was reached to play an inaugural 24-team tournament in June 2021 in China. Europe was to send just six teams.
No broadcast or sponsor deals had been announced by early 2020 when the tournament was scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The June 2021 slot was needed for the postponed Euro 2020 and Copa America.
After the failed Super League project in April 2021 rocked European soccer, FIFA found agreement for a 32-team Club World Cup.
The draw for FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup is coming up
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The draw for FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup is coming up
- The tournament will take place in 11 US cities from June 15 to July 13 in an expanded format with 32 teams instead of the previous seven
- Europe got 12 places, South America six, while Africa, Asia and North America got four each
Saudi Arabia lights up after being named as host for World Cup 2034
- Dazzling firework displays reflected the spirit of unity and excitement surrounding the country’s historic achievement
- In celebration, dynamic drone shows are to captivate audiences in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and Abha
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is celebrating being chosen as host of the FIFA World Cup 2034 with a series of events across the country.
The football-themed festivities, which run until Dec. 14, invite citizens and residents to showcase their national pride by wearing football jerseys and sharing their moments on social media using the hashtag #Saudi2034.
Fireworks illuminated the skies of Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, NEOM, Al-Qassim, and Jubail at 8:34 p.m. on Wednesday, after the official announcement from an online ceremony that was broadcast at a Riyadh event attended by Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and other officials.
The dazzling displays reflected the spirit of unity and excitement surrounding the country’s historic achievement.
In celebration, dynamic drone shows are to captivate audiences in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and Abha.
There will also be an air show in Riyadh on Dec. 12 over the skies of King Abdullah Financial District, King Fahd Stadium, and King Fahd Road.
Riyadh’s municipality handed out scarves to football fans in Tahlia Street, Takhassusi Street, and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Road, and organized events with traditional dances at various urban parks.
A number of institutions held watch parties at the time of the announcement ceremony, including the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
Parks and buildings were adorned with Saudi flags, while public spaces in a number of cities and regions were bathed in green light to mark the occasion.
A series of public gatherings will take place until Dec. 14 between 5:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. at Boulevard City, Laysen Valley, Roshn Front, and Bujairi Terrace in Riyadh; and the Corniche Circuit, Roshn Waterfront, Corniche Obhur, Prince Majid Park, King Abdulaziz Cultural Center, and the Municipality Building in Jeddah.
Elsewhere, celebrations will take place at the Corniche, Half Moon Beach, Tharwa Corniche, and King Abdullah Park in Alkhobar; and Beach District Plaza Al-Baha Mall, Al-Hawiya Walk, Boulevard, and the Winter Festival in Al-Baha; in Buraydah at Bukhari Street; and in Abha at Al-Bahar Square, Art Street, Veranda, Ariash, High City, and Midmac.
Hail will host gatherings on Dec. 13 from 5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Al Fajr Walkway and Bahjah Park.
These activities offer football fans an opportunity to come together and share in the joyful atmosphere.
Crown Prince congratulates King Salman on Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host World Cup 2034
- The Crown Prince confirmed Saudi Arabia’s strong commitment to contribute to the development of football worldwide
- Later on Wednesday, Prince Mohammed announced the establishment of the “Supreme Authority for Hosting the 2034 World Cup”
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated King Salman, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, on Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034.
The Crown Prince confirmed Saudi Arabia’s strong commitment to contribute to the development of football sport worldwide and promoting messages of love, peace and tolerance.
He highlighted the Kingdom’s significant capabilities, the enthusiasm of the Saudi people, and their ability to overcome challenges, which ultimately led to their successful bid to host the World Cup 2034, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
On Wednesday, FIFA announced that Saudi Arabia will host the international football tournament in 2034.
Later on Wednesday, the crown prince announced the establishment of the “Supreme Authority for Hosting the 2034 World Cup.”
Setting up the authority showed the Kingdom’s determination to present an exceptional version of the tournament, SPA said.
Saudi Arabia became the first country in FIFA’s history to solely host the expanded format of the World Cup with 48 teams, featuring 16 additional football teams for the first time since Qatar’s World Cup 2022, SPA reported.
The US, Mexico and Canada will host the expanded format of World Cup 2026, while the 2030 event is set to take place in Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
In July, Saudi Arabia officially submitted its bid to host the World Cup 2034 under the slogan “Growing Together.”
The Kingdom will host the football matches in 15 stadiums across five cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Khobar, Abha and Neom.
It also plans to host entertainment activities for World Cup fans in 10 sites, including King Salman Park and the Jeddah Waterfront Park.
Saudi Arabia’s greatest World Cup moments
- Al-Owairan received the ball inside his own half and embarked on an astonishing run that saw one Belgian defender after another beaten, before finishing past Michel Preud’homme
- Saleh Al-Shehri equalized straight after the break and just five minutes later Salem Dawsari sent Saudi and Arab fans wild with one of the tournament’s most stunning goals
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has taken part in six World Cup tournaments, an Arab record it shares with Morocco and Tunisia. Here are our favorite Green Falcons moments from football’s grandest stage.
5. Saudi defeat Egypt to end winless streak (Russia 2018)
Saudi Arabia returned to the World Cup after an absence of 12 years at Russia 2018 and while there would be no progress from the group stage as there was in the Green Falcons’ debut at USA 1994, there was a first win since that tournament 24 years earlier.
Saudi suffered a painful 5-0 defeat against the hosts on the opening day of the tournament and followed that up with a narrow 1-0 loss against Uruguay. It meant that while the final Group A match against fellow Arab qualifiers Egypt was a dead rubber, pride was very much still at stake.
Mohamed Salah, after a stellar season for Liverpool, gave Egypt a 1-0 lead, but deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half, Salman Al-Faraj equalized from the penalty spot.
As the clock passed the 90-minute mark it looked like both teams would be heading home without a win, but Salem Al-Dawsari scored in the 95th minute to make it 2-1 and end the Green Falcon’s 15-match winless World Cup streak.
4. Almost a perfect send-off for Sami Al-Jaber (Germany 2006)
It was almost the ideal end for arguably Saudi Arabia’s greatest ever footballer.
The 2006 World Cup in Germany may not have ended up being too fondly remembered by Saudi fans but it did provide an early moment which hinted at a repeat of the team’s 1994 heroics.
The Green Falcons’ opening match against Tunisia at the Allianz Arena in Munich saw the North African team take the lead from Ziad Jaziri after only 23 minutes but the Saudis struck back with a fine finish by Yasser Al-Qahtani on 57 minutes.
Enter Al-Jaber. Wearing his favored No. 9 green shirt, he was introduced as a substitute after 82 minutes and within moments he was bearing down on Tunisian goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel with the goal at his mercy. Al-Jaber did not disappoint, scoring Saudi’s second before being mobbed by his ecstatic teammates.
Unfortunately for the team managed by Marcos Paqueta, Tunisia equalized in the dying seconds and Saudi went on to lose their next two matches against Ukraine and Spain.
But at least Al-Jaber’s fourth and last World Cup had ended like his first, with a goal for his beloved Saudi Arabia.
3. Al-Ghesheyan stunner gives Saudi a fleeting dream (US 1994)
Saudi Arabia had already created history by progressing from the group stages at the US World Cup in 1994 and their reward was a round of 16 clash with Sweden, who would end up being one of the teams of the tournament.
In the stifling heat of Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the Green Falcons, fresh off a stunning win over Belgium in their previous match, put on brave display but found themselves two goals down after an early header from Martin Dahlin and a strike from Kennet Andersson six minutes after the break.
Just as it looked like an exhausted team was only minutes from heading home, up popped substitute Fahad Al-Ghesheyan to breathe life into Saudi Arabia’s World Cup campaign and allow the fans to dream again.
The 21-year-old collected the ball inside the Swedish penalty area and unleashed a right-foot strike into the roof of the net five minutes from time to suddenly give Saudi hope of a stunning comeback.
But just two minutes later, Andersson scored his second to give Sweden a 3-1 win and eliminate the Falcons from the competition. They had become the first Arab nation to reach the last 16 in their first attempt and no team from the region would progress further until 2022.
2. Al-Owairan scores one of the World Cup’s greatest goals (USA 1994)
To Diego Maradona’s iconic solo goal against England in 1986 and Roberto Baggio’s international career-launching strike against Czechoslovakia in 1990, you can add Saeed Al-Owairan’s remarkable winner against Belgium in 1994.
Saudi Arabia’s debut at the World Cup had ended with a 2-1 loss to reigning European champions the Netherlands at the RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., but in their second Group F match, they managed an excellent 2-1 win over Morocco at the Giants Stadium in New York.
It meant that progress to the last 16 would depend on their result against Belgium, and the Green Falcons would go on to record one of their greatest ever results back at the RFK.
Only five minutes into the match, Al-Owairan received the ball inside his own half and embarked on an astonishing run that saw one Belgian defender after another beaten, before the forward finished past stranded goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme.
The stunned Belgians had no answer to that goal in the next 85 minutes. Saudi Arabia, in their first World Cup, were heading to the last 16 and Al-Owairan had written his name alongside the World Cup greats.
1. Saudi claim greatest win over Messi’s Argentina (Qatar 2022)
There can be few debates about Saudi Arabia’s greatest World Cup moment.
Few people would have given Herve Renard’s team much hope of a victory when they took on Lionel Messi and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on Nov. 22, 2022.
And sure enough it was the Argentine maestro who gave the South Americans the lead on 10 minutes from the penalty spot. But the expected Argentinian procession did not materialize. Instead, the Falcons, through gritty defending and smart counterattacks, slowly grew into the game.
The second half would be a revelation. First Saleh Al-Shehri equalized straight after the break and just five minutes later Salem Dawsari sent Saudi and Arab fans in the stadium and around the world wild with one of the tournament’s most stunning goals.
Messi and his colleagues would go on to win the World Cup, but that day they had no answer to Saudi Arabia’s tigerish performance.
There would be no progress from the group stage for the Falcons, but the 2-1 scoreline gave them their most famous victory and they would end the tournament as the eventual world champions’ only conquerors.
Saudi Arabia’s road to becoming FIFA World Cup 2034 host
- Kingdom goes uncontested
- Bid receives FIFA’s highest-ever rating
RIYADH: FIFA officially ratified Saudi Arabia as host of the World Cup 2034 on Wednesday in what was a fairly drama-free affair for an obvious reason — the sport’s global governing body confirmed the name of the lone, uncontested bidder as the host.
Nevertheless, the country has proved itself worthy of the title after a journey of several years that culminated in achieving FIFA’s highest-ever rating for a bid submission and ultimately winning.
For the Kingdom, the journey from bidder to winner of the host of the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world came after an interesting turn of events.
The journey began with Saudi Arabia reportedly holding talks in September 2022 with sports chiefs in Egypt and Greece over an audacious joint bid to host the World Cup 2030.
“The three countries are working flat out” and “the application to organize the tournament is being studied,” Mohammed Fawzi, spokesman for the Egyptian Sports Ministry, said at the time.
Greece’s Hellenic Football Federation in Athens had also confirmed that the three countries were holding discussions about a joint bid.
However, whatever discussions were held did not result in a bid being submitted, and the Saudi Tourism Ministry in November 2022 confirmed that no official bid to host the World Cup 2030 was made.
Changing the plan, the Kingdom next year started seeking support for staging the mega sporting event alone in 2034, and in October 2023 announced its intention to bid to host the World Cup 2034.
On Oct. 9, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation submitted a letter of intent to bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
Yasser Al-Misehal, SAFF president, said at the time: “This is the second step of a hugely exciting journey that the nation is embarking on. The 2034 FIFA World Cup is our invitation to the world to witness Saudi Arabia’s development, experience its culture and become part of its history.”
Led by the SAFF, the bid for 2034 intended from the beginning to deliver a world-class tournament drawing inspiration from the Kingdom’s social and economic transformation and the deep-rooted passion for football.
Saudi Arabia’s inaugural bid was backed by the Kingdom’s growing experience of hosting world-class football events and its plans to welcome fans across the world to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
Reflecting on the intention to bid, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s desire to bid for the tournament was a reflection of the Kingdom’s progress in all sectors.
Under the Saudi Vision 2030, sport is playing a significant role in contributing to the country’s economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for all, and has an ability to unite and bring different cultures together.
The Kingdom said on Oct. 4, 2023 that it would bid for the 2034 event, minutes after the process was launched.
As a result of the tournament’s continental rotation, FIFA invited only member countries of the Asian and Oceanian confederations to apply.
Indonesia considered a joint bid with Australia, or other countries such as New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore, but on Oct. 19 it swung behind Saudi Arabia’s bid.
Australia, which hosted the Women’s World Cup 2023, was also a contender but withdrew its interest after the Asian Football Confederation’s decision to back the Saudi bid.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said bidding for the tournament was “not going to be favorable to Australia.”
He said: “Saudi is a strong bid. They have a lot of resources, and not just for the 2034 World Cup. From the government, top down they are prioritizing investment in football. That is difficult to compete with.”
Last October, a FIFA delegation arrived in the Kingdom to review the details of the bid. As proposed, 48 teams will be participating at venues in one country for the first time in history.
The delegation visited the Saudi cities proposed to host the tournament, inspected the sports projects and facilities included in the bid, and reviewed other preparations.
It was announced on Oct. 31, 2023 that the football World Cup, the biggest sports show on Earth, was set to come to Saudi Arabia.
“The Kingdom is the only remaining bidder for the 2034 tournament after sole rivals Australia pulled out,” the sport’s world governing body FIFA said, adding that the decision would be ratified officially at a special FIFA congress at the end of 2024.
On March 1, 2024 SAFF launched its formal bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 under the slogan “Growing Together.”
The campaign proved a formality when the Kingdom became the only country to enter the contest to host the tournament.
The federation, as part of its formal bid, has unveiled a bid logo, website, as well as a short film that celebrates the passion, spirit and diversity of football in the Kingdom.
Al-Misehal said: “Telling our football story to the world is of massive importance. And we believe ‘Growing Together’ is the perfect, yet simple description of our approach to hopefully hosting the tournament in 10 years’ time.”
The bid was submitted to FIFA officials in Paris on July 29, 2024 by a delegation headed by the Saudi minister of sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, and Al-Misehal.
“With this candidacy, we intend to host the exceptional edition that brings together 48 teams for the first time in the history of the tournament in one country,” Prince Abdulaziz said at the time.
“Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 is a bid for the future. It is for our children and those who dream big,” he added.
The Kingdom’s bid to host the World Cup 2034 received a rating of 419.8 out of 500 in November 2024, the highest technical rating ever given by FIFA.
The announcement came just ahead of the federation’s general assembly on Dec. 11 that officially ratified Saudi Arabia as host of the World Cup 2034.
Saudi Arabia confirmed as 2034 World Cup host
- The Saudi bid was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations
RIYADH: The news Saudi Arabia and football fans across the region had been waiting for was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon when FIFA made the official announcement that the Kingdom will host the 2034 World Cup.
The Saudi bid was rubber-stamped by the applause of over 200 FIFA member federations that took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by Gianni Infantino, president of football’s world governing body.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation greeted the news by posting a message from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on its official X account.
“We look forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World Cup by harnessing our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans around the world,” the message said.
Meanwhile, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, minister of sport and Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee president, and SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal were presented with the FIFA World Cup 2034 hosting certificate from FIFA.
During a special presentation from Riyadh, Prince Abdulaziz said: “We will host the best version of the World Cup in history, and we will achieve our dream of hosting this tournament on our land.”
Alongside the decision to award Saudi Arabia the sole hosting rights in 2034, FIFA also officially approved the multi-host bid by Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games.
