GENEVA — The largest global club soccer tournament in history is set to take place in the United States next year, with the draw for the 32-team group stage occurring on Thursday.


This much-anticipated event will feature renowned European clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester City, Messi’s Inter Miami, the newly crowned South American champions Botafogo, and leading teams from Asia, Africa, and Oceania. These clubs are participating in the updated format of FIFA’s Club World Cup.


Traditionally held in December, the tournament will run from June 15 to July 13 across 11 cities in the U.S., expanding from the previous seven-team format to include 32 teams. Moving forward, the Club World Cup will occur every four years, paralleling the schedule of international football’s World Cup, which will take place in 2026 across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.


The draw for the Club World Cup is scheduled for 1 p.m. local time in Miami (1800 GMT) on Thursday, where crucial information about the tournament will be revealed.


What Does the Club World Cup Entail?


FIFA and its leadership have long desired a premier showcase for club soccer. The 2025 Club World Cup is being touted as FIFA’s boldest undertaking yet, featuring a month-long competition during a time in June traditionally occupied by the men’s World Cup, which garners substantial global viewership.


This new club event will adopt the familiar format of 32 teams used in World Cups from 1998 until 2022, featuring eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to a knockout stage composed of 16 teams.


FIFA aimed to strike a balance between showcasing elite teams and providing chances for clubs worldwide to compete and progress. Europe received 12 spots, South America secured six, while Africa, Asia, and North America were allotted four each. One entry is reserved for Oceania and another for the hosting country, which can vary with each iteration.


Teams qualified through their continental championships from 2021 to 2024 or earned high rankings based on consistent performance during that period. Notably, Brazil is set to represent four different Copa Libertadores titleholders, while Mexico will send three CONCACAF champions — with Seattle Sounders also qualifying as the other North American representative.


Which Teams Are Participating?


Renowned European clubs including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain are confirmed participants. However, notable absentees include Liverpool, Barcelona, Napoli, and Sporting Lisbon, who failed to qualify.


Salzburg grabbed the last European spot based on FIFA’s ranking system, although it is currently regarded as a mid-tier club in Europe. Argentinian giants River Plate and Boca Juniors will be present, alongside Brazilian club Fluminense and Mexico’s Pachuca, both of whom hold modest standings in their national leagues.


From Africa, Al Ahly of Egypt, a three-time African champion in recent years, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, owned by FIFA vice president Patrice Motsepe, are set to compete. Asian representatives include Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal, which won the continental title despite recent setbacks including losing star Neymar to injury.


The tournament is expected to feature a generation of emerging soccer talent, including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.


Inter Miami, spearheaded by star Lionel Messi and co-owner David Beckham, will participate as the host nation’s representative, awarded entry in October based on regular-season performance. The MLS Cup champion, determined later this week, will not be part of the draw.


What’s at Stake?


Competing teams are playing for both a trophy and substantial financial rewards. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised prize money amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, with top European teams potentially guaranteed $50 million, although the source of these funds remains uncertain.


Recently, FIFA secured a broadcast agreement with DAZN to air all 63 matches free of charge, allowing the streaming service to negotiate rights with public broadcasters. With established ties to Saudi Arabia, whose financial support is expected after being named host of the 2034 World Cup, this deal is seen as a significant step forward.


A newly designed gold trophy, crafted by Tiffany & Co., will bear Infantino’s name twice, along with his signature, illustrating the prestige associated with the tournament.


A Brief History of the Tournament


Historically, the champions of Europe and South America faced off in the Intercontinental Cup, held in Japan from 1980 to 2004. FIFA initiated the Club World Championship in 2000, but it did not regain momentum until 2005; since then, an annual FIFA Club World Cup has taken place in December.


Over the years, this event has included seven teams: the six reigning continental champions and the domestic champion from the host nation, rotating among Japan, Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Qatar, and, most recently, Saudi Arabia.


This annual competition was met with indifference in Europe, with only one European team losing in the last 17 years, demonstrating a lack of competitive balance. Infantino’s vision for a larger and more appealing club tournament began taking form following his election in 2016.


Challenges arose when an ambitious $25 billion deal for new tournaments faced opposition from European soccer officials, culminating in multiple cancellations and proposed changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, after the turmoil from the Super League lineage, FIFA managed to secure the agreement for a 32-team Club World Cup.