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
https://arab.news/4p53n
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
Eubank Jr. and Benn have London buzzing ahead of grudge match
- The boxers speak exclusively to Arab News about this weekend’s long-awaited showdown and their thoughts about the possibility of taking to the ring in Saudi Arabia
LONDON: You can feel the atmosphere among boxing fans in London shifting by the hour, becoming sharper, louder and increasingly focused on one thing: this weekend’s showdown between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn.
As the clock continues to count down to Saturday night’s long-awaited fight, a “Live Media Workout” event on Wednesday brought the simmering rivalry right into the public eye.
The 90-minute session, which took place at The Pelligon in Canary Wharf (the venue previously known as East Wintergarden), drew a high-energy crowd of fans, journalists and other invited guests. But it was more than simply spectacle; it offered a rare glimpse into the final preparations of two fighters whose family names are etched into the pages of British boxing history.
Eubank Jr. and Benn each took the ring, shadowboxed under the bright lights, and answered questions as the cameras rolled. The energy in the place came not only from their movements, it emanated from the anticipation and excitement of the crowd. Every jab, every grin was part of the story.
During exclusive interviews with Arab News, both fighters expressed their excitement not only about Saturday’s clash, but also about what might come next, including the possibility of fighting in Saudi Arabia.
Eubank Jr., who appeared focused but relaxed, described the build-up to the bout as “incredible” and added: “It’s the biggest I’ve ever been involved in and I cannot wait.”
Asked about the prospect of taking to the ring in the Kingdom, he said: “Riyadh Season, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh (chairperson of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority) — they’re doing an amazing job with Ring Magazine. I’m sure after this fight, I’ll be fighting many more times, in Saudi Arabia.”
Benn told Arab News: “It feels good to be back home, on home soil. I’d love to fight in Saudi; God willing, this year.”
Beyond the glitz and glamour of the cameras and the soundbites, the workout session revealed the sharpness, speed and quiet confidence of two fighters who know what is at stake. Fans watched them closely, not only to admire their athleticism and showmanship, but for any sign of who might hold the psychological edge.
The media workout event was just the latest chapter in a packed fight week, which will continue on Thursday with the main press conference, building up to Saturday’s headline event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which features a stacked card of top-tier British fighters.
The long, shared boxing history of the Eubank and Benn families is impossible to ignore. The saga began in the 1990s when Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn fought two epic battles. Eubank Sr. won their first, in 1990. A rematch three years later ended in a bitter draw.
As the moment of truth for their sons draws near, the excitement is no longer just about perceptions of revenge or legacy; it’s about who gets to write the next chapter of the story, not only in the UK but perhaps under the bright lights of Riyadh’s sporting renaissance.
Bilbao edge Las Palmas to close on Champions League qualification
- The Basque side sit fourth with five games to go
- Bilbao also have a Europa League semifinal against Manchester United to come
BARCELONA: Inaki Williams fired Athletic Bilbao to a 1-0 home win over Las Palmas in La Liga on Wednesday to strengthen their chances of direct qualification for next season’s Champions League.
The Basque side sit fourth with five games to go, eight points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal who suffered a 3-0 defeat at Celta Vigo, also on Wednesday.
Bilbao also have a Europa League semifinal against Manchester United to come, and should they win that they will play the final in their home stadium.
Five La Liga sides qualify for the Champions League this season. Sixth-placed Betis are a point behind Villarreal ahead of their encounter with rock-bottom Valladolid on Thursday.
A fifth-minute goal from the elder Williams brother after he turned a defender in the box and side-footed home with the outside of his boot was enough for all three points.
Bilbao needed two sharp saves from Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon before half-time as relegation-threatened Las Palmas went down fighting.
Barcelona inched closer to the title with a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Tuesday which took them seven points clear of Real Madrid, who play Getafe away later Wednesday.
Rohit, Boult star as Mumbai surge into IPL top four
- Trent Boult, a left-arm quick, and fellow pace bowler Deepak Chahar ripped apart the top of Hyderabad’s batting order as they collapsed to 35-5 before managing 143-8
- Five-time champions Mumbai achieved their target with 26 balls and seven wickets to spare after Rohit registered his second successive half-century
HYDERABAD: Star batsman Rohit Sharma smashed 76 and pace bowler Trent Boult claimed 4-26 as Mumbai Indians thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad to move up to third in the IPL table on Wednesday.
New Zealand’s Boult, a left-arm quick, and fellow pace bowler Deepak Chahar ripped apart the top of Hyderabad’s batting order as they collapsed to 35-5 before managing 143-8.
Five-time champions Mumbai achieved their target with 26 balls and seven wickets to spare after Rohit registered his second successive half-century, smacking eight fours and three sixes in his 46-ball knock to lead the chase.
But the 35-year-old Boult set up victory with his two early wickets and was named player of the match.
“I still love the feeling of competing and getting wickets,” said Boult, who retired from international cricket in 2024.
“It’s a huge tournament, there are hundreds of thousands of bowlers who’d love to do what we’re doing so it’s about not taking it for granted.”
It was Mumbai’s fourth straight win and a victory that propelled them three spots from sixth in the 10-team table led by Gujarat Titans.
Hyderabad, who are captained by Australia’s Pat Cummins, slumped to their sixth loss in eight matches.
“We have a few away games now, it will be about assessing each wicket as quickly as possible,” said Cummins. “Some days it will be all-out attack, some days it will be about weighing our options.”
Rohit and England’s Will Jacks (22) laid the platform for Mumbai in their second-wicket partnership of 64.
Jacks got out but Rohit stood firm to raise his fifty in an another key stand of 53 with Suryakumar Yadav, who made an unbeaten 40 off 19 balls.
The match began with a tribute to the victims of the deadly attack in Kashmir as a minute’s silence was observed and teams wore black armbands in Hyderabad.
Twenty-six men — all Indian except one Nepali — were killed on Tuesday when gunmen burst out of forests at a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam and raked crowds of visitors with automatic weapons.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took the decision to remove the cheerleaders and put a halt to the celebratory fireworks and music customary at IPL matches, as a mark of respect for the victims.
Boult got Mumbai off to a perfect start by dismissing Australian opener Travis Head for a duck after the left-hander mis-timed a shot to deep backward point.
Chahar had Ishan Kishan caught behind for one in the next over, the batter walking off to a timid appeal with ultra-edge technology later suggesting there was no edge.
Boult and Chahar continued to do damage and accounted for Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Reddy, leaving Hyderabad five down when skipper Hardik Pandya struck in the ninth over.
South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen hit a 44-ball 71 as he counter-attacked with a string of boundaries and put on 99 runs with impact substitute Abhinav Manohar (43), but the effort was not enough against a rampaging Mumbai.
Klaasen finally became pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s 300th T20 wicket when he was caught at deep backward square.
Boult finished with two wickets in the 20th over.
Juve’s top-four dream hits the snooze button in Parma loss
- Juve sit fifth on 59 points, one behind Bologna who occupy the final Champions League spot
- The second half unfolded in the same lifeless fashion as the first
MILAN: Juventus stumbled to a 1–0 defeat at Parma on Wednesday, failing to impress with a sleepy performance as they slipped out of the top four with the season now edging toward its conclusion.
Juve sit fifth on 59 points, one behind Bologna who occupy the final Champions League spot, with five rounds remaining. Parma, meanwhile, took a significant step away from the relegation zone and have 31 points — six clear of 18th-placed Venezia.
The first half was a dull affair, with both sides appearing to have already clocked off for an early end-of-season break, drifting through the motions and barely creating any real chances until the final minutes.
Mateo Pellegrino lit up the home crowd right before the break, soaring through the air in first-half stoppage time to meet a looping cross and head the ball with pinpoint precision into the net for the only goal of the match.
The second half unfolded in the same lifeless fashion as the first, with Juve applying some late pressure but failing to find an equalizer.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem nominates Malcolm Wilson for deputy role
- Federation members will vote in June on whether to endorse the former British Rally champion and founder of M-Sport
- Malcolm Wilson: There has never been a more exciting time to be in motor sport, and I know first-hand the benefits the sport brings to families and communities across the world
DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, has nominated Malcolm Wilson, a leading figure in British motor sport, for the position of deputy president for sport.
The FIA, the global governing body for motor sport and advocacy group for motoring organizations, said on Wednesday that members will vote on the nomination during the federation’s Extraordinary General Assemblies and Conference in Macau in June.
Wilson is the managing director of M-Sport, which has operated Ford’s World Rally program since 1997. Previously he was a highly successful rally driver, who won the British Rally in 1994. He is an honorary member of the British Racing Drivers Club, and in 2009 he was awarded an OBE for services to motor sport in the Queen’s Birthday Honors list.
Under his leadership, M-Sport won the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers in 2006 and 2007 and 2017, and back-to-back driver and co-driver championships in 2017 and 2018. It also served as a technical partner with Bentley Motors, leading the design and development of the Continental GT3 race car, and in electric motor sport with Jaguar in the Ipace eTrophy event.
The deputy president for sport, one of the most senior elected roles within the FIA, serves on the World Motor Sport Council and has a wide range of responsibilities, including development of global motor sport policies in collaboration with FIA commissions and national sporting authorities, and the promotion of safety, sustainability and innovation in the sport.
Ben Sulayem said: “I am delighted to nominate Malcolm Wilson OBE for the role of FIA deputy president for sport. Malcolm has had a distinguished career in global motor sport.
“For over 40 years he has competed at the highest level, both as a driver and technical partner to teams. This experience will be invaluable to the FIA and our member clubs as we continue to grow grassroots and professional motor sport, driving innovation in the sport to benefit fans, drivers and teams.”
Wilson said: “Having started my career in motor sport in the 1970s as a driver and then technical partner to teams, it is a great honor to be nominated for the role of FIA deputy president for sport.
“The FIA has played a central role in my career and I very much look forward to supporting the president and all the FIA family in its important mission. There has never been a more exciting time to be in motor sport, and I know first-hand the benefits the sport brings to families and communities across the world.
“I look forward to working with the president for the duration of his current term of office, bringing our sport to new audiences and ensuring we deliver the very best championships for all our competitors.”
