FIFA: Messi's Inter Miami to kick off 2025 Club World Cup
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Zurich: FIFA has announced that the 2025 Club World Cup will begin a day earlier than originally planned, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami set to start the tournament on June 14. The monthlong competition will conclude with games at MetLife Stadium near New York.
The 63-game schedule was published on Saturday, following the draw held in Miami, which included Ivanka Trump on stage and a prerecorded congratulatory video from President-elect Donald Trump.
Inter Miami’s opening match will take place at Hard Rock Stadium at 8 p.m. local time, with a 3 a.m. kickoff in Cairo, where they will face Al Ahly of Egypt.
The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 13, at MetLife Stadium at 3 p.m. local time (9 p.m. CET). The stadium will also host the semifinals on July 8-9 and one quarterfinal on July 5.
The second day of the tournament, June 15, will feature four games: Bayern Munich will play Auckland City at midday in Cincinnati, Paris Saint-Germain will face Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Palmeiras will play Porto at 6 p.m. local time at MetLife Stadium, and Seattle Sounders will host Botafogo at 7 p.m. local time.
Real Madrid will begin their campaign on June 18 at 3 p.m. in Miami against Al Hilal, while Manchester City will face Wydad Casablanca earlier that day at midday in Philadelphia.
Two major matchups between European and South American teams are scheduled at 3 a.m. CET: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors in Miami on June 20 and Inter Milan vs. River Plate in Seattle on June 25.
FIFA stated that the schedule was designed to minimize player travel and ensure adequate rest, considering heat and weather forecasts. Only group-stage matches will be held on the West Coast, with round-of-16 games taking place in Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, and Philadelphia. The quarterfinals will also be held in Atlanta, Orlando, and Philadelphia.
Teams qualified for the tournament by winning continental titles from 2021 to 2024 or by achieving high rankings during these four seasons. Inter Miami was given a spot in October for finishing at the top of the MLS regular season standings. The MLS Cup final will take place on Saturday, with Los Angeles Galaxy hosting the New York Red Bulls.
With PTI inputs