The Club World Cup begins on Saturday, June 14, when Inter Miami take on Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
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How will Lionel Messi and friends get on? Are they likely to get out of Group A?
And what about Real Madrid? The world’s biggest club have replaced Carlo Ancelotti with Xabi Alonso, their former midfielder, and signed Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in the mini transfer window before the tournament. They’re also after Alvaro Carreras from Benfica and one of the hottest prospects in world football, River Plate’s 17-year-old forward Franco Mastantuono. Benfica and River are part of the fun in the United States, too.
Paris Saint-Germain cross the Atlantic as champions of Europe, having thrashed Inter in the Champions League final two weeks ago. Can they complete a brilliant double this summer? And will a wounded Inter hit the ground running under new coach Christian Chivu? Simone Inzaghi was in charge for the final on May 31 but has since jumped ship for Saudi side Al Hilal, who are also at the Club World Cup.
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There are representatives from six continents across the globe among the 32 teams — Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, Ulsan from South Korea, Wydad from Morocco, and Auckland City from New Zealand.
Here are The Athletic’s eight group guides and 16 in-depth team guides for the tournament, telling you all you need to know before the competition gets underway. Who are the favourites to advance to the knockout stage and which storylines should you be watching?
Follow the Club World Cup on The Athletic this summer…
Palmeiras of Brazil, Portugal’s Porto, Al Ahly from Egypt and Major League Soccer side Inter Miami make up Group A, and beyond the Brazilian side, there is a case for any of the other teams to qualify for the straight-knockout round of 16.
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Miami’s defensive struggles might hinder them, despite the presence of Messi and Luis Suarez in attack. Porto are looking at the tournament as an opportunity for redemption after one of their worst seasons in recent years at domestic and European levels.
Meanwhile, Al Ahly have consistently done well in the previous annual format of this tournament, finishing third on four occasions this decade.
The full guide to Group A is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 14: Al Ahly vs Inter Miami (Miami, 8pm/1am June 15)
June 15: Palmeiras vs Porto (New York/New Jersey, 6pm/11pm)
June 19: Palmeiras vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey, 12pm/5pm)
June 19: Inter Miami vs Porto (Atlanta, 3pm/8pm)
June 23: Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (Miami, 9pm/2am June 24)
June 23: Porto vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey, 9pm/2am June 24)
The reigning champion of South America and a recent holder of that honour for North America have been drawn together at the Club World Cup — and both are projected to be the four-team section’s underdogs. How’s that for a Group of Death?
Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid join Botafogo and the Seattle Sounders to form Group B, surely the deepest quartet of the eight in the tournament. Will there be a post-Champions League final hangover for PSG? Will Diego Simeone’s steely Atletico relax a bit on their Stateside summer vacation? Can either team from the Americas upset the European behemoths?
The full guide to Group B is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 15: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid (Pasadena, 3pm/8pm)
June 15: Seattle Sounders vs. Botafogo (Seattle, 10pm/3am June 16)
June 19: Seattle Sounders vs. Atletico Madrid (Seattle, 6pm/11pm)
June 19: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo (Pasadena, 9pm/2am June 20)
June 26: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain (Seattle, 3pm/8pm)
June 26: Atletico Madrid vs. Botafogo (Pasadena, 3pm/8pm)
Two of European football’s most storied teams. An icon of the South American game. The side who earned a shock third-place finish at the 2014 Club World Cup.
Auckland City, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors form Group C, offering ample intriguing storylines. Is Bayern built to be this reformatted tournament’s first champion? Will Benfica benefit from one final dose of Angel Di Maria’s heroics? Can Boca overcome a recent dip to become a dark horse? Could the New Zealanders wreak similar havoc to 11 years ago?
The full guide to Group C is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 15: Bayern Munich vs Auckland City (Cincinnati, 12pm/5pm)
June 16: Boca Juniors vs Benfica (Miami, 6pm/11pm)
June 20: Benfica vs Auckland City (Orlando, 12pm/5pm)
June 20: Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors (Miami, 9pm/2am June 21)
June 26: Auckland City vs Boca Juniors (Nashville, 3pm/8pm)
June 26: Benfica vs Bayern Munich (Charlotte, 3pm/8pm)
(Getty Images; design: Kelsea Petersen)
Chelsea, Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis and LAFC make up this group, and the odds are very much against the latter two. LAFC’s qualification was only confirmed on June 1 when they defeated Club America in a play-off to determine the final contestant of this year’s Club World Cup.
Meanwhile, Esperance earned their place as the best-ranked eligible team in the CAF, African football’s governing body, four-year ranking, but despite winning Tunisia’s domestic league and cup, the gap in quality may prove to be too great.
So for Chelsea and Flamengo, it’s their group to lose and their encounter on June 20 could determine who tops it.
The full guide to Group D is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 16: Chelsea vs LAFC (Atlanta, 3pm/8pm)
June 16: Flamengo vs Esperance (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 17)
June 20: Flamengo vs Chelsea (Philadelphia, 2pm/7pm)
June 20: LAFC vs Esperance (Nashville, 6pm/11pm)
June 24: LAFC vs Flamengo (Orlando, 9pm/2am June 25)
June 24: Esperance vs Chelsea (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 25)
Group E at the Club World Cup could conjure up a few entertaining matches, with a spot in the knockout stage up for grabs.
Italian side Inter are the favourites to top a pool that also includes Argentina’s River Plate, Monterrey from Mexico and Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds.
Last month’s UEFA Champions League runners-up qualified for this tournament via their ranking by UEFA, European football’s governing body, between 2021 and 2024. River got in through their ranking by CONMEBOL, South America’s UEFA equivalent, over the same period. Monterrey and Urawa are here thanks to winning the 2021 Concacaf Champions League and 2022-23 Asian Champions League.
River will be backed to finish second behind the men from Milan in this group, but Monterrey could pose a threat.
The full guide to Group E is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 17: River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds (Seattle, 3pm/8pm)
June 17: Monterrey vs Inter (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 18)
June 21: Inter vs Urawa Red Diamonds (Seattle, 3pm/8pm)
June 21: River Plate vs Monterrey (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 22)
June 25: Inter vs River Plate (Seattle, 9pm/2am June 26)
June 25: Urawa Red Diamonds vs Monterrey (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 26)
Group F at the Club World Cup features a slight favourite in the form of Borussia Dortmund but could throw up its fair share of surprises.
Dortmund endured a disappointing Bundesliga campaign that picked up pace only in the final weeks. They are joined by Brazilian side Fluminense, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and South Korea’s Ulsan HD.
Fluminense’s history as one of Brazil’s most successful clubs — with 42 major trophies — makes them the consensus pick for a top-two finish with Dortmund. Their 2023 Copa Libertadores win sealed their berth at the Club World Cup.
But the Sundowns recently secured their eighth straight South African Premiership title and qualified for this tournament through their CAF ranking between 2021 and 2024. Ulsan, meanwhile, have won three consecutive league titles, though a fourth looks unlikely as they trail leaders Jeonbuk by six points in the K League 1 having played two games more.
The full guide to Group F is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 17: Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund (New Jersey, 12pm/5pm)
June 17: Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns (Orlando, 6pm/11pm)
June 21: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund (Cincinnati, 12pm/5pm)
June 21: Fluminense vs Ulsan HD (New Jersey, 6pm/11pm)
June 25: Borussia Dortmund vs Ulsan HD (Cincinnati, 3pm/8pm)
June 25: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense (Florida, 3pm/8pm)
Any group that contains the world’s best manager, last year’s Asian Champions League winners and Italy’s most decorated club is likely to offer plenty of entertainment.
Manchester City, Morocco’s Wydad AC, Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates and Juventus join up to form Group G of this year’s Club World Cup, and there are certainly enough storylines for you to shake a stick at. Can City get revenge on the Old Lady for their Champions League defeat in December? Which young player is one of Italy’s take-on kings? Who has endured managerial chaos in recent months?
The full guide to Group G is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All kick-offs ET/BST)
June 18: Manchester City vs Wydad AC (Philadelphia, 12pm/5pm)
June 18: Al Ain vs Juventus (Washington, 9pm/2am June 19)
June 22: Juventus vs Wydad AC (Philadelphia, 12pm/5pm)
June 22: Manchester City vs Al Ain (Atlanta, 9pm/2am June 23)
June 26: Juventus vs Manchester City (Orlando, 3pm/8pm)
June 26: Wydad AC vs Al Ain (Washington, 3pm/8pm)
When your group includes the competition’s record holders, you know it is worth keeping an eye on.
Real Madrid, Pachuca, Al Hilal, and Red Bull Salzburg form Group H and there are some tasty clashes to choose from. Madrid will be keen to add to their swollen trophy cabinet this summer with a new era upon them after Xabi Alonso was confirmed as their new head coach. Meanwhile, don’t underestimate the strength of Al Hilal, who boast several star names that could see the Saudi club make a major dent in this tournament if they play to their full potential.
The full guide to Group H is here.
Team guides
Fixtures
(All times ET/UK)
June 18: Real Madrid vs Al Hilal (Miami, 3pm/8pm)
June 18: Pachuca vs Red Bull Salzburg (Cincinnati, 6pm/11pm)
June 22: Real Madrid vs Pachuca (Charlotte, 3pm/8pm)
June 22: Red Bull Salzburg vs Al Hilal (Washington, 6pm/11pm)
June 26: Al Hilal vs Pachuca (Nashville, 9pm/2am June 27)
June 26: Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 27)
(Top photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
