In years without a World Cup, European Championship, or Copa América, soccer fans often find themselves twiddling their thumbs—refreshing transfer rumor pages day and night in search of a fix. But no matter how juicy the gossip, it never quite satisfies the craving for real competition.
2025 is one of those years. Fortunately, FIFA have a trick up their sleeve to keep fans engaged: the newly revamped Club World Cup.
Once dismissed as a glorified pre-season warm-up or post-season cooldown, the tournament has undergone a massive transformation. FIFA has poured significant investment into the event, expanding it from just seven teams to a full 32-team competition in a bid to make it one of the sport’s premier spectacles. And so far, it’s working.
This year’s Club World Cup is packed with top teams from every corner of the globe—from Europe and South America to North America, the Middle East, and beyond. In an unusual twist, clubs like Real Madrid are even accelerating summer transfer plans—bringing in names like Trent Alexander-Arnold—to gear up for the tournament. It’s a clear sign that this edition is being taken seriously.
Ahead of what promises to be a landmark moment in club soccer, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Club World Cup: from the full schedule and participating teams to how and where you can watch it all unfold.
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Which Teams Will Play in the 2025 Club World Cup?
The 2025 Club World Cup will feature teams from all seven of FIFA’s continental federations. That includes representatives from Europe (UEFA), South America (CONMEBOL), Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), North and Central America (Concacaf), Oceania (OFC).
The allocation of slots is based on historical performance and global competitive balance. Europe leads with 12 participating clubs, reflecting its dominance in international club football. South America follows with six, while Asia, Africa, and North/Central America each contribute four. Oceania has one representative, and the final place is given to a team from the host country.
Qualification is primarily determined by results in each region’s top club competitions. For example, winners of the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores from recent years automatically qualify. Other teams earned their spot based on consistent high-level performances in their respective continental tournaments across multiple seasons.
Here’s the full list of qualified teams, along with how each one made it to the tournament.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Schedule
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be staged across the United States, with matches played in 11 different cities at 12 separate venues. Among the iconic stadiums hosting games are Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Lumen Field in Seattle, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The tournament kicks off on June 14 with the opening match between host club Inter Miami and African giants Al Ahly, set to take place at Hard Rock Stadium with an 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
With 32 teams divided into eight groups of four, the group stage then runs until June 26, featuring a total of 48 matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16, held between June 28 and July 1. From there, the competition moves through the quarterfinals and semifinals, culminating in the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 14.
Below is a full breakdown of the tournament schedule, including key dates and phases of the competition.
Where to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup?
DAZN will be the primary broadcaster of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, after securing global streaming rights in a landmark $1 billion deal finalized in December 2024. In a surprising move, DAZN announced that all matches will be available to stream for free, making the tournament more accessible than ever.
To complement its global coverage, DAZN has sublicensed rights to a number of regional broadcasters around the world. In the United Kingdom, Channel 5 will televise 23 matches, offering fans a chance to watch some of the action on free-to-air TV. Meanwhile, in the United States, TNT Sports will carry 24 games as part of its own Club World Cup programming.
In China, where DAZN currently doesn’t operate, streaming rights were secured through a separate agreement with Migu. The deal includes coverage of both the 2025 edition and the next tournament, ensuring Chinese viewers won't miss out on the revamped competition.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as FIFA Club World Cup Schedule: Dates, Fixtures and Key Information.