Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025: possible opponents
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will learn who they will face in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at a draw ceremony in Miami, Florida on Thursday (7pm CET). bundesliga.com finds out who they could come up against...
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 explained
Bayern's consistent performances in the UEFA Champions League over the four-year qualifying period (2021-2024), when they reached at least the quarter-final stage each season, secured their Club World Cup ticket via the UEFA rankings pathway.
Germany's record champions have been placed in pot 1 for the draw, meaning they cannot face Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), PSG (FRA), Flamengo (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), River Plate (ARG) or Fluminense (BRA) until the knockout rounds
Instead, they will be paired with one team from each of pots 2, 3 and 4 in one of eight four-club groups. However, because clubs from the same member association cannot be grouped together, they will avoid Bundesliga rivals Dortmund - in pot 2 - in the group stage.
BVB also qualified for the finals via the four-year ranking pathway, measured on their performances in UEFA competition football between 2021 and 2024. They will be drawn alongside one team from each of pots 1, 3 and 4, albeit avoiding all European clubs in pot 1.
Watch: Dortmund and Bayern met in Der Klassiker on 30 November
Teams in the round-robin groups play each other once. The top two from each group progress to the round of 16, the start of a direct single-match knockout stage until the final. There will be no third-place match.
The Club World will take place across 12 venues in the USA from from 15 June to 13 July 2025.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 draw pots in full
Pot 1
Bayern Munich (GER), Manchester City (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Flamengo (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), River Plate (ARG) or Fluminense (BRA)
Pot 2
Borussia Dortmund (GER), Chelsea (ENG), Inter Milan (ITA), FC Porto (POR), Atlético Madrid (ESP), Benfica (POR), Juventus (ITA), Salzburg (AUT)
Pot 3
Al Hilal (KSA), Ulsan HD (KOR), Al Ahly (EGY), Wydad Casablanca (MAR), Monterrey (MEX), Leon (MEX), Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA)
Pot 4
Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), Al Ain (UAE), Hope of Tunis (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Pachuca (MEX), Seattle Sounders (USA), Auckland City (NZL), Inter Miami (USA)
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