Club Championship Participants and Rationale
The Updated Club World Cup Agenda: 32 Global Giants Battle for the Title
Back in 1960, the Intercontinental Cup marked the start of a long-lasting tradition. Since then, the European champion has gone head-to-head with the South American champion annually. Over the decades, multiple big-name clubs have grabbed the trophy, including Real Madrid, Penarol Montevideo, FC Santos, and Inter Milan. Now, in 2025, the stage is set for a fresh competition, as 32 teams from six continents square off in the United States.
For the first time, champions from Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania join the party, along with European and South American clubs. The revamped format, inspired by professional football, adopts a format similar to the men's World Cup – eight groups of four, with the top two teams moving forward to the knockout rounds, culminating in the final showdown.
With the Club World Cup set to kick off on June 14 and run through July 13, here's a closer look at the clubs fighting for the coveted title.
Group A
FC Porto: Making the cut thanks to Portugal's UEFA ranking, Porto snatched third place in the league and survived a Europa League round of 16 elimination but brought two of their stars – striker Samuel Aghehowa and goalkeeper Diogo Costa – who recently won the Nations League with Portugal.
Palmeiras São Paulo: As the 2021 Copa Libertadores winners, Palmeiras secure a spot in the tournament. With Italian roots, the team is one of the largest in Brazil, boasting 12 national championships. Argentine-born striker Estevao, who could join Chelsea after the competition for a whopping 60 million euros, is set to add more goals to his impressive 26-goal tally for São Paulo prior to his potential transfer.
Inter Miami: Born in 2024, Inter Miami qualified as the regular-season winners of the MLS season and cannot be missed at the event, taking place in the US. Despite the presence of superstars like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez, and Jordi Alba, Miami still lags behind in the title hunt.
Al Ahly SC: The Cairo club has made history with 44 league titles and 39 cup victories, making it by far the most successful club in Egypt and one of the most successful in Africa. Al Ahly missed the final for the first time since 2019 this season, with captain and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy assuming leadership.
Group B
Paris Saint-Germain: Fresh off their Champions League win, PSG qualified thanks to their position in the UEFA rankings. Ousmane Dembélé and Déyré Doué have recently hogged the media spotlight.
Atletico Madrid: Third in the Spanish league behind Real and Barcelona, Atletico Madrid is also in thanks to the UEFA ranking. Now reinforced with Clement Lenglet, coach Diego Simeone's focus is on strikers Alexander Sørloth and Julian Álvarez.
Botafogo FR: Winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores, Botafogo knocked out ten players from the opposition in the final match, claiming victory in extra time. Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha are two players worth a look on the team.
Seattle Sounders: Having won the Champions League in 2022, Seattle Sounders qualified through the league standings, currently placing mid-table in the Major League Soccer season, which runs on a calendar year. Star player Albert Rusnák has earned 38 international caps for Slovakia, while 19-year-old midfield talent Obed Vargas is another standout member of the team.
Group C
FC Bayern Munich: Saying farewell with Thomas Müller playing his last games for Bayern, the club earned a spot in the tournament via the UEFA rankings.
Auckland City FC: As the Oceania record champion, Auckland City FC is the tournament's only representative from the region. Though they don't have big-name players, their four top-valued players are close to the level of Regionalliga Germany players, according to transfermarkt.de. Auckland delivered strong performances in the 2014 Club World Cup tournament, earning victories in the play-off and quarterfinals, reaching the semi-finals in extra time and the third-place game on penalties.
Boca Juniors: Founded by Italian immigrants, Boca Juniors secured a spot in the event via the CONMEBOL ranking. Winners of the record three titles in the Club World Cup predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, the team now has legendary figure Juan Roman Riquelme as club president and Edinson Cavani as team captain. Carlos Palacios shines in the offensive midfield, while Milton Delgado anchors the defense.
Benfica Lisbon: Having come close to winning the championship in the final round and losing to FC Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16, Benfica qualified via the UEFA ranking. German coach Roger Schmidt left in August 2024, with Portuguese coach Bruno Lage taking charge. Benfica's top scorer is Vangelis Pavlidis, with Angel di Maria on his way back to his Argentine homeland following the Club World Cup.
Group D
Flamengo Rio de Janeiro: Winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores, Flamengo secured a berth in the tournament. The team originally adopted the colors blue and gold, but changed to red and black due to the former colors fading too quickly in the sun. Giorgian de Arrascaeta leads the offense, while Leos Ortiz and Pereira form the defense.
Esperance Tunis: Tunisian serial champions secured their spot via the CAF club ranking, with Maher Kanzari now coaching the team after the departure of Laurentiu Reghecampf in March 2024. Yan Sasse and Youcef Belaili dominate the offense.
FC Chelsea: Kai Havertz led Chelsea to Champions League victory in 2020/21, eventually qualifying for the Club World Cup in 2025. Since then, Chelsea's big-name signings have outnumbered their big-time performances, but the team celebrated the acquisition of the Europa Conference League trophy at the end of May. Cole Palmer is the team's standout player.
Los Angeles FC: Los Angeles FC suffered a loss in the 2023 Champions League final, but earned a spot in the Club World Cup as a newcomer. The club is backed by heavyweight investors in American sports, with US giants Golden State Warriors (NBA) and Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) among them. The team's coach is former Hannover player Steven Cherundolo, with French superstars Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris bolstering the roster.
Group E
River Plate: River Plate, known as Los Millonarios, is in via the CONMEBOL ranking. The 17-year-old Franco Mastantuono is one of the hottest young talents in Argentina, poised to move to Europe.
Urawa Red Diamonds: The Japanese representatives, having won the Asian Champions League in 2022/23, are connected to Germany, with past club members including Guido Buchwald, Uwe Rahn, Uwe Bein, Michael Rummenigge, and coaches including Buchwald, Holger Osieck, Horst Köppel, Gert Engels, and Volker Finke. One of their current players, Genki Haraguchi, was a long-time Bundesliga pro.
CF Monterrey: A staple of the Club World Cup, having won five titles in the CONCACAF Champions League, Monterrey secured their position based on their 2021 win in the event. The team recently suffered early elimination in the second round and struggled in the league, making it to the playoff quarterfinals. The squad includes Real legend Sergio Ramos, Lucas Ocampos, and Sergio Canales, well-known names to European football fans.
Inter Milan: Fresh off Simone Inzaghi's departure and the arrival of Cristian Chivu as coach, Inter Milan sees the Club World Cup as a chance to rebound from their lost Champions League final. The Italian squad got the green light based on their impressive UEFA ranking.
Group F
Fluminense Rio de Janeiro: The oldest football club in Rio de Janeiro qualified as winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores. Led by the oldest professional player in the tournament, 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, the team is facing a setback due to top scorer German Cano's injury. Despite Thiago Silva's 40 years, he still stands tall in central defense.
Ulsan HD FC: The South Korean representatives qualified via the Asian Football Confederation club ranking. Although their squad doesn't boast international stars, they have a close connection to Germany, with legendary Bum-kun Cha coaching the team for several years in the early 1990s. Bum-kun Cha is known for winning the UEFA Cup as a player for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in the 1980s.
Borussia Dortmund: Borussia Dortmund missed the 2023/24 Champions League final win, but grabbed a spot in the competition thanks to their exceptional performance in the UEFA rankings. Niko Kovac brings stability to the team after a challenging first half of the season. Top scorer Serhou Guirassy is coming to the tournament with impressive stats – 21 Bundesliga and 13 Champions League goals to his name.
Mamelodi Sundowns: Having maintained their status as record champions in South Africa with eight consecutive titles, Mamelodi Sundowns secured their spot following their run to the 2022 Club World Cup final. Key players include Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro and fellow South African Iqraam Rayners.
Group G
Manchester City: Having clinched the 2022/23 Champions League, Manchester City joins the tournament. After a challenging season, Pep Guardiola's squad recently reformed, aiming to bounce back in the second half. The departure of Kevin de Bruyne marks the end of an era, and the focus shifts to regular suspects Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and recently-returned Rodri, who missed the tournament due to an ACL injury.
Wydad Casablanca: Originating as a swimming club, Wydad is Morocco's record champion and took the 2022/23 Champions League title after defeating al Ahly. Known for their impressive fan culture, Wydad once had former Liverpool striker John Toshack as a coach. Jamal Harkass, their most valuable players at a worth of about €2 million, is a center back.
al Ain Club: Located in Dubai, al Ain boasts a close relationship with Germany, with past members like Guido Buchwald, Uwe Rahn, Uwe Bein, and Michael Rümenigge and coaches such as Buchwald, Holger Osieck, Horst Köppel, Gert Engels, and Volker Finke. Goalkeeper Rui Patricio, the Portuguese goalkeeper who won Euro 2016 and the inaugural Conference League with Roma, is their most famous player.
Juventus Turin: With interim coach Igor Tudor at the helm following the first-half success, Juventus Turin enters the competition. Brazilian center back Bremer and Turkish-Serbian midfielder Kenan Yildiz are their most valuable players, while Marc Roca, developed at Bayern Munich, brings his talents to the team.
Group H
Real Madrid: Having clinched Champion League titles in 2021/22 and 2023/24, Real Madrid advances to the competition. With a fresh coach in Xabi Alonso, fans will see how he measures up to expectations following his success in coaching Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold joins the team for the Club World Cup.
al-Hilal: The 2021 Asian CL champions, al-Hilal come to the tournament with new coach Simone Inzaghi. Their roster features Morocco's World Cup hero Bono, former Bayern player Joao Cancelo, and Ruben Neves, who recently claimed the European Nations League title with Portugal.
CF Pachuca: Winners of seven Mexican championships and six CL titles, Pachuca punch their ticket to the Club World Cup thanks to their 2024 win in the event. Offense runs through Salomon Rondon, Venezuela's all-time top scorer, and forward John Kennedy, who boasts a strong goal-scoring instinct.
FC Red Bull Salzburg: Red Bull Salzburg, Austria's seven-time champion, placed second for the second consecutive year. The team, coached by Thomas Letsch, features plenty of Bundesliga experience and has recently strengthened with Bundesliga veterans Frans Krätzig (FC Bayern) and Stefan Lainer (Gladbach). Left winger Dorgeles Nene stands out as a prolific goal-scorer.
Bonus NotesReports suggest that FC Liverpool would have also qualified via the UEFA ranking, but only two teams per country are allowed at the Club World Cup. This also applies to RB Leipzig, FC Barcelona, SSC Naples, FC Sevilla, and AC Milan. These teams compete in their respective leagues for additional spots. Salzburg takes the last European spot, making them the last team to qualify. There were no such restrictions on other continental associations.
Additionally, despite the qualification limit per country, four Brazilian teams are competing in the event, as all of them have claimed the Copa Libertadores championship. Had any of the European teams, including Liverpool, won the Champions League like Chelsea and Manchester City, they would have been allowed additional spots in the Club World Cup.
In summary, the 2025 Club World Cup is set to unite the top clubs from every continent for a fierce battle in the USA. A total of 32 teams, consisting of players from Argentina, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, and more, will compete for the trophy. Fans can look forward to the tournament kicking off on June 14 and running through July 13.
The Commission, recognizing the significance of the common agricultural policy, has also taken a number of steps to ensure that the Club World Cup's proposals are implemented in a manner consistent with the objectives of the policy. Meanwhile, inter-continental football competitions continue to thrive, as demonstrated by the inclusion of African, Asian, North and Central American, and Oceania champions in the 2025 Club World Cup, alongside European and South American clubs.
