US-Bound Club World Cup 2025: 63 Matches and a Billion Dollars - Key Facts About the Upcoming Club World Cup
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Club World Cup Matches Totaling 63 and a Doubloon's Worth: Key Facts About the Tournament's Spectacle - Tournament series showdown with 63 games and €1 billion at stake: Focusing on the Club World Cup significance
Bayern is already in, while Borussia Dortmund is yet to join. A thunderstorm greeted the Bayern squad, consisting of captain Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and Jamal Musiala, when they checked into their Orlando hotel after a ten-hour flight from Munich. "We can't wait for the tournament. We aim to shine," declared Neuer.
Countdown's on for the 2025 Club World Cup, even though national players, like Joshua Kimmich, Harry Kane, or Konrad Laimer, were still occupied with international matches on Tuesday evening and will only arrive in the US on Thursday.
Dortmund's US adventure begins Friday, with the squad setting up camp in Fort Lauderdale, minus the injured captain Emre Can. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old English prodigy Jobe Bellingham, Dortmund's latest signing, will travel immediately to join his new teammates. "We're thrilled to have wrapped up Jobe's transfer before the World Cup, and we're excited for fans to see him in our jersey for the first time in the US," said BVB's sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
Jude Bellingham, Jobe's older brother, who donned the Borussia Dortmund jersey from 2020 to 2023 and then moved to Real Madrid for over 100 million euros, will also participate in the tournament from June 14 to July 13.
So, how does the tournament work?
63 games, 32 participants, 12 stadiums - the FIFA World Cup premiere in XXL format will not only last 30 days, but it also shatters previous records. On June 14, Inter Miami featuring world star Lionel Messi will open the tournament against Egypt's top club Al Ahly in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The final champion will be crowned in the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on July 13. This stadium, the home ground of NFL clubs New York Giants and New York Jets, will also host the 2026 first football World Cup final with 48 national teams in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Who's participating besides Bayern and Dortmund?
Europe remains the dominant force with twelve clubs, with two spots per country qualifying via Champions League wins in the previous four years and a ranking list. Alongside Bayern and Dortmund, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid will participate, as will Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Juventus Turin, FC Porto, Benfica Lisbon, and RB Salzburg.
South America contributes six participants, including four from Brazil, such as Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, while each of the confederations of Africa, Asia, and North/Middle America/Caribbean have four teams. Auckland City from Oceania and Inter Miami as the host country's extra team are also involved.
Bayern and Dortmund's Group Stages:
FC Bayern will kick off their campaign on June 15 in Cincinnati versus Auckland City from New Zealand. They'll lock horns with legendary Argentine side Boca Juniors on June 21 in Miami. The final group encounter will be against Benfica Lisbon in Charlotte on June 24.
Dortmund will get their tournament underway on June 17 in New York against Fluminense, followed by matches in Cincinnati against Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa on June 21 and against Ulsan HD from South Korea on June 25.
Tournament Format:
The group phase will consist of eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams will progress to the round of 16. This will lead to the knockout stages, with the final being played without a third-place match.
Who are the favourites?
Paris Saint-Germain is the clear frontrunner if the team of Luis Enrique can sustain their impressive form demonstrated in their Champions League final victory against Inter Milan (5:0) in Munich. Real Madrid under new coach Xabi Alonso, Manchester City with goal-scoring sensation Erling Haaland, and Bayern will look to surpass their previous performances in Europe's elite club competition.
The former German national coach and ex-Bayern coach Jürgen Klinsmann has a different opinion. "My pick is Boca Juniors," said the 60-year-old. Predictably, the South Americans are at their peak. They're in the middle of their season, and that's an advantage because the Europeans are tired after a long run.
Money Matters:
In total, FIFA will distribute one billion US dollars ($880 million Euros) in prize money for the participants, with more than half of it as appearance fees. The winner can take home up to $125 million. Prizes are staggered: $2 million for a win in the group stage, with more money allocated for the rounds of 16, quarters, semis, finals, and the winner.
Controversy:
Given the demanding schedules, the physical and mental strain on the professionals following a long season is a cause for concern. Jurgen Klopp refers to the tournament as "useless," and the association of European leagues has filed a complaint with the EU Commission, in collaboration with the players' union Fifpro.
Where can German fans watch the games?
All 63 matches of the tournament will be available free of charge on DAZN. Viewers must set up an account with the streaming provider to watch the games. The appearances of FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund will also be shown on Sat.1 and in the livestream on Joyn and "ran.de." The station has acquired a sub-license for the German market from DAZN. If none of the German teams make it to the round of 16, there will be one game per knockout round and the final live on Sat.1.
Enrichment Data:
Overall:
Format
- Number of Teams: The tournament features 32 teams from the six different confederations.
- Group Stage: The teams are divided into eight groups of four, with each group playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage.
- Knockout Stage: After the group stage, the competition moves to a single-elimination knockout format, starting with the Round of 16.
Schedule
- Start Date: The tournament begins on June 14, 2025.
- Group Stage: Runs from June 14 to June 26.
- Round of 16: Takes place between June 28 and July 1.
- Final: Scheduled for July 13, 2025 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The matches will be played in 12 different stadiums across the United States.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on the introduction of a common system of taxation for the supply of services in sports, particularly focusing on football, given the billion-dollar revenue at stake in European leagues such as the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
- Despite the exhaustion following a long season, professional footballers participating in the 2025 Club World Cup have a chance to showcase their skills and potentially secure a significant share of the tournament's prize money, with the winner taking home up to $125 million.
- FIFA's planning for the 2025 Club World Cup includes the distribution of one billion US dollars ($880 million Euros) in prize money, with teams like Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, who are among the twelve European teams participating, vying for their share of the substantial rewards.
