FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Format, prize money, venues, qualified teams and other details

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 14, marking the tournament’s first edition under a new 32-team format. Hosted across 12 venues in 11 U.S. cities, the competition will open with Inter Miami facing Egypt’s Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The final is slated for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Tournament Structure and Participating Teams

The revamped format mirrors that of the FIFA World Cup, featuring eight groups of four teams each. Teams will compete in a single round-robin within their groups, with the top two from each advancing to the Round of 16. The knockout stages will proceed through single-elimination matches, culminating in the final. Notably, there will be no third-place play-off.

The 32 qualified teams represent all six FIFA confederations, with allocations as follows: UEFA (12 teams), CONMEBOL (6), AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF (4 each), OFC (1), and one spot for the host nation’s representative. Qualification was primarily based on clubs’ performances in their respective continental competitions over the past four years.

• Group A: Palmeiras (Brazil), FC Porto (Portugal), Al Ahly (Egypt), Inter Miami (USA)
• Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Seattle Sounders (USA)
• Group C: Bayern Munich (Germany), Auckland City (New Zealand), Boca Juniors (Argentina), Benfica (Portugal)
• Group D: Flamengo (Brazil), Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia), Chelsea (England), Los Angeles FC (USA)
• Group E: River Plate (Argentina), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Monterrey (Mexico), Inter Milan (Italy)
• Group F: Fluminense (Brazil), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Ulsan HD (South Korea), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
• Group G: Manchester City (England), Wydad AC (Morocco), Al Ain (UAE), Juventus (Italy)
• Group H: Real Madrid (Spain), Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Pachuca (Mexico), FC Salzburg (Austria)

Prize Money and Financial Incentives

FIFA has allocated a total prize pool of $1 billion for the tournament. The distribution includes participation fees and performance-based rewards. Each team is guaranteed a minimum participation fee, with additional earnings based on match outcomes and progression through the tournament stages. The champion stands to earn up to $125 million.

The prize money distribution is structured as follows:

• Group Stage: $2 million per win, $1 million per draw
• Round of 16: Additional $7.5 million
• Quarterfinals: Additional $13.125 million
• Semifinals: Additional $21 million
• Finalist: Additional $30 million
• Champion: Additional $40 million

This financial structure aims to incentivize competitive performance throughout the tournament.

Venues and Broadcast Information

Matches will be held in the following U.S. cities and stadiums:

• Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• Charlotte – Bank of America Stadium
• Cincinnati – TQL Stadium
• Los Angeles – Rose Bowl Stadium
• Miami – Hard Rock Stadium
• Nashville – GEODIS Park
• New York/New Jersey – MetLife Stadium
• Orlando – Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium
• Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field
• Seattle – Lumen Field
• Washington, D.C. – Audi Field

DAZN has secured exclusive global broadcasting rights for the tournament, offering free live streaming of all matches. In the United Kingdom, selected matches will also be available on Channel 5.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup serves as a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, providing an opportunity to assess the United States’ readiness to host large-scale international football events.