2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Hosts, Venues, Schedule, Format & Betting

This summer, the 2025 Club World Cup will take the football world by storm. After over two decades of continental champions battling it out in single knockout games to determine the world champion, FIFA has ripped up the script ahead of their flagship club tournament. World football's governing body has long been sitting on a potential gold mine with the competition, and they have decided to pull the trigger on a radical reform that has certainly caught the eye.

Rather than the usual six confederation champions and a representative of the host nation, 32 of the planet's finest will head to the United States this June and July in a bid to leave MetLife Stadium on July 13th with the Club World Cup trophy and a hefty prize.

Online sports betting sites certainly feel that European powerhouses will be the teams to beat. Popular websites offering online sport betting in Canada have made Real Madrid and Manchester City the +450 joint favorites, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Milan just behind them in the odds lists.

With the tournament opener just around the corner, here's all you need to know about this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

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Hosts and Venues

Just as they will do next summer with its international counterpart - albeit alongside Mexico and Canada - the United States will play host in somewhat of a dress rehearsal for next year's showpiece. Twelve world-class venues across the Land of the Free will accommodate the tournament's 63 matches over 29 days, from June 14 to July 13.

Key venues include:

- Hard Rock Stadium: Set to host the opening match between Al Ahly and Inter Miami.

- MetLife Stadium: The stage for the final on July 13, as well as next summer's World Cup final

- Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Home of MLS side Atlanta United

- Rose Bowl Stadium: A famous old stadium that has hosted five different Super Bowls

- Lincoln Financial Field: Home of reigning NFL champions the Philadelphia Eagles

- Camping World Stadium: The Second Stadium in Miami, twice hosted the entertainment spectacle WrestleMania

Schedule and Format

The tournament introduces a FIFA World Cup-style group and knockout format. Here's how it breaks down:

- Group Stage (June 14 - June 24): The 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four, with each team playing the other three in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will advance.

- Knockout Rounds (June 28 - July 13): From the Round of 16 to the final, teams will face off in single-elimination matches. Extra time and penalties will decide the outcome if necessary.

The competition opens with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, who are representing the hosting United States, securing their spot by topping the MLS regular season standings last year. They will face a stern test in the form of Egyptian giants Al Ahly, a team that has won the CAF Champions League in four of the last five seasons.

🚨⚽️ BREAKING: Lionel Messi has decided to take his talent down to South Beach, joining MLS club Inter Miami! 🏝

What do you think of the big move? 👀 #MLS #InterMiami pic.twitter.com/mDegABxt8k

— Bodog (@BodogCA) June 7, 2023

Participating Teams

The expanded tournament increases participation to 32 clubs, representing all six FIFA confederations. Here are some of the most notable.

- UEFA: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and both upcoming Champions League finalists.

- CONMEBOL: Argentinian giants Boca Juniors and River Plate will both be involved, as well as Brazilian sides Palmeiras and Flamengo

- CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia), and CONCACAF (North and Central America) each have four representatives, while OFC (Oceania) includes Auckland City as its lone participant.

Despite the tournament opener being barely a fortnight away, not all 32 teams have yet been confirmed. Mexican side Club Leon were supposed to be involved, but a breach of co-ownership rules has seen them disqualified. Los Angeles FC and Club America will have a playoff to decide the final spot, with the Californian outfit hoping to become the host nation's third participant, alongside Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders.

Concerns

Despite the fever-pitch levels of excitement, there are concerns regarding player burnout, with the tournament adding to an already-packed football calendar. With the backlog from the global events of 2020 and 2021, the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in December, last summer's European Championships, and next summer's World Cup all taking place within a relatively short time of each other, there has been a lot for players to handle lately!

Betting

This summer's tournament promises to be a betting extravaganza, with bookies offering up prices on the tournament winner, group winners, individual matches, and much, much more. Real Madrid and Manchester City are the favorites to go all the way, but there are plenty of opportunities for punters.

Paris Saint-Germain's route to the semifinals looks like a simple one, and their odds of +250 to reach the final four certainly look enticing. As well as that, some European sides such as Salzburg and FC Porto could well struggle despite being positioned as favorites in their group, and that provides plenty of value on the other three teams drawn with them in their respective quartets.

I (AKA CatBurg) have a lifelong passion for sports, especially football and basketball. I enjoy the thrill and excitement of sports betting and everything in between. My teams are (Packers #GoPackGo) and who I am betting on!