Club World Cup: Madrid, Chelsea get favourable draws as Man City face Juventus in group stage
Football clubs around the world can now confirm their group stage opponents after football governing body FIFA conducted the draw for the inaugural edition of the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled to take place in the United States next year.
The draw for the revamped tournament modelled after the Men’s and Women’s FIFA World Cup was conducted on Thursday, resulting in some interesting matchups between giants and underdogs that would certainly debut on fans’ screen in the middle of 2025.
Thirty two teams, which are the best of the best produced by each world’s continent, will compete for the grand prize and they have been grouped into eight groups consisting of four teams each.
In Group A, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are up against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Portuguese side FC Porto and Brazil’s Palmeiras.
Group B will see PSG and Atletico Madrid clash in the group stage. They are joined in the group by reigning South American champions Botafago and Seattle Sounders F.C.
Chelsea lock horns with Brazil’s Flamengo, Esperance of Tunisia and Club Leon in Group D.
Meanwhile, Group G contains Manchester City, Juventus, Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain F.C while reigning European champions Real Madrid, in Group H, will face Neymar’s Al Hilal, RB Salzburg and Club Pachuca.
Inter Miami will kick off the tournament against Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 15 while the final match will be played on July 13. Unlike the normal World Cup tournament, there won’t be any third-place playoff in the Club World Cup.
Full group stage draw:
Group A
Palmeiras
Porto
Al Ahly
Inter Miami
Group B
PSG
Atletico Madrid
Botafogo
Seattle Sounders
Group C
Bayern Munich
Auckland City
Boca Juniors
Benfica
Group D
Chelsea
Flamengo
Club Leon
Esperance de Tunis
Group E
River Plate
Urawa Red Diamonds
Monterrey
Inter Milan
Group F
Fluminense
Borussia Dortmund
Ulsan HD
Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G
Manchester City
Juventus
Wydad Casablanca
AI Ain
Group H
Real Madrid
RB Salzburg
Al Hilal
Pachuca
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