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The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 clubs from across the globe who will go through group stages and then knockout rounds. This differs from the previous format, which saw one team each from six continental confederations and the league champions from the host nation fight it out.
There have been concerns over the tournament elongating the football calendar and controversy over qualification criteria. Inter Miami, for example, are in after winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, but having lost in the subsequent MLS play-offs, Lionel Messi’s side are not MLS champions.
Several high-profile teams, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Bayer Leverkusen will not be there, but the likes of Manchester City, Inter and Real Madrid will be. A full explanation of the qualification criteria and how to watch the draw can be found here. The draw takes place in Miami today at 1pm ET (6pm GMT).
Inter’s only Club World Cup appearance came in 2011. They beat TP Mazembe 3-0 in the final. They got there after achieving the treble in 2010 under Jose Mourinho, winning Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. They also achieved another treble back in 1965, lifting the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup, league title and European Cup.
Manchester City won the 2023 Club World Cup by defeating Fluminense 4-0 in their tournament debut. The Premier League’s defending champions have been one of the world’s best teams over the past 15 years. They were the first English team to win a domestic and European cup in the same season back in 1970 when they lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup and League Cup.
Wydad played in the 2017 and 2022 Club World Cups, losing to Urawa Red Diamonds and Al Hilal in the fifth-place play-off and second round respectively. They have won the Moroccan league a record 22 times, seven more than Union Sportive Marocaine in second, and won three CAF Champions League titles.
Al Ain will be playing their second Club World Cup next summer, having made the 2018 final, which they lost 4-1 to Real Madrid. They remain the only team from the UAE to win the AFC Champions League, having lifted the title in 2003 and lost in two finals (2005 and 2016) before their success in 2024.
Auckland City are the lowest-ranked team at next year’s Club World Cup, more than 3,000 spots lower than the next-lowest club. They have, however, made more appearances at the tournament than any other team with 11, with their best finish coming in 2014 when they beat Cruz Azul on penalties to finish third.
And so on.
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