FIFA Club World Cup: How does the 2025 format work?
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been allocated their groups for the FIFA Club World Cup after a change to the format was made for the 2025 instalment of the competition. bundesliga.com explains how the new format of the international club competition works...
What is the Club World Cup?
The FIFA Club World Cup has been revamped and expanded upon for the 2024/25 season. What was previously a tournament held annually in which seven top teams from around the world would compete, will now feature 32 teams and is to be held once every four years.
What is the format?
Previously, the seven teams selected were the six winners of their respective continental confederations, along with the host nation’s domestic league champions. Now, with 32 teams, the process is significantly more complicated.
Once again, teams are to be selected from the six international football confederations: Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), North and Central America (CONCACAF), South America (CONMEBOL), Oceania (OFC) and Europe (UEFA). However, each confederation is not assigned an equal share of places for clubs.
The 12 places made available for European clubs is the largest quota of the confederations. The confederations in Asia, Africa, and North and Central America have been allocated four club places each. South American clubs have six places, and Oceania is the least represented with just one place.
The 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four for the group stage. Each team will play the other teams in their group in a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the round of 16 knockout stages.
There will be no third place play off for the two sides that lose in the semi-finals, unlike the international World Cup.
What are the 2024/25 groups?
Group A
Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B
Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C
Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D
Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, Club Leon
Group E
River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F
Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G
Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H
Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg
When is the Club World Cup held?
The competition will be held in the summer of 2025 in the United States. The group stage is set to begin on 15 June 2025. The opening game of the tournament is to take place at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The tournament will progress for the subsequent month and the final will take place on July 13 2025, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The full match schedule comprising the stadium and kick-off time for each fixture will be finalised and published in due course.
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How do teams qualify?
For the European clubs, these places are to be decided by their performance in the UEFA Champions League over the previous four seasons. The winners of the competition during this time automatically qualify, meaning that Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea have all had their positions solidified. Aside from each continental champion, upon whom no restrictions are placed on qualification, only two clubs per country can qualify and the other nine places are determined by a UEFA ranking system based on a club’s performance over those four seasons.
Other confederations implemented similar ranking systems to determine which clubs are to be allocated the places, based on their performances in their continental club competitions. Interestingly, Brazil is the most heavily represented country in the tournament with four clubs occupying four of the six allocated South American places. These teams are: Fluminense, Botafogo, Palmeiras and Flamengo. This is because these sides have all won the Copa Libertadores over the last four seasons, thereby avoiding the ‘two clubs per country’ restriction.
One spot is reserved for a team from the host nation. FIFA has opted to award that place to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, for winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, although, after their exit from the MLS play-offs, they are not this season’s champions.
What form does the trophy take?
The trophy was unveiled on 14 November 2025. It is a large gold-plated disc featuring intricate laser-engraved inscriptions on both sides, which include a world map, and the names of all 211 FIFA Member Associations and the six confederations. It was made in collaboration with luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co.
Is there an anthem?
Gala’s iconic track Freed from Desire has been announced by FIFA to be the audio signature. Over the years it has become an instantly recognisable football anthem for fans of both clubs and national teams.
Previous winners
Whilst Manchester City may be the holders of the trophy from the 2023 tournament of the same name, this revamped format, combined with a new trophy signals a desire by FIFA to soft reset the competition. With a new trophy up for grabs, can Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund seize this opportunity for new silverware?
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