Chelsea Learn Potential Opponent for Club World Cup Quarterfinals

If Chelsea overcome Benfica in their FIFA Club World Cup last 16 tie on Saturday night, the Blues already know they will face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals.

A solitary Paulinho goal in extra time saw Palmeiras manage to win 1–0 against fellow Brazilian side Botafogo, finishing the game with only 10 players following a late red card. They were the first team to secure a place in the last eight of this summer’s competition.

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The last eight game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July, a poignant date and location in the city where the United States was born almost 250 years ago.

Palmeiras won Group A ahead of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, after the pair drew on Matchday 3. The Brazilians had earlier opened with a draw against Porto and beaten Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Even before Chelsea’s kick-off against Benfica, they have already earned a substantial amount of money from participating at the Club World Cup. So far, Chelsea’s pot stands at $40.5 million (£29.5 million), made up of their participation, group stage results and qualification for the last 16.

Reaching the quarterfinals is worth an extra $13.125 million (£9.7m). Getting through the last eight and into the semifinals then pays another $21 million (£15.3 million). As favourites in the quarters if they get there, the Blues would fancy their chances of doing so and, by that stage, the could have pocketed $74.6 million (£54.5 million). For reference, that’s almost 12% of the club’s entire revenue for the 2023–24 season, which was £468.5 million ($642.9 million).

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