Sport

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Everything you need to know

This new club competition – the FIFA Club World Cup 202 – will make its debut at a total of 12 stadiums across the United States

Published

3 months ago

September 29, 2024

Ariana News

FIFA will launch an exciting new club tournament next year that will feature the world’s best 32 teams from the six international football confederations.

This new club competition - the FIFA Club World Cup 202 - will make its debut at a total of 12 stadiums across the United States with the final to be played at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey.

The tournament will kick off on June 15 and end on July 13 next year.

This global event will bring together the most successful club sides from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.

A total of 12 venues will be used to host the 63 matches which will be played across the United States.

FIFA confirmed the 12 stadiums on Saturday. These are:

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

The final, on July 13, will be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey

FIFA President Gianni Infantino made the announcement in Central Park, New York and said: “Football is the most popular sport on the planet, and in 2025 a new era for club football will kick off when FIFA stages the greatest, most inclusive and merit-based global club competition right here in the United States.”

“The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will feature 12 fantastic stadiums where a new chapter in football’s global history will be written by great players from the 32 best clubs in the world,” Infantino continued.

“This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup which will impact enormously the growth of club football and talent globally,” he said.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino made the announcement in Central Park, New York

With the draw set for December, just two of the 32 teams are still to be confirmed: one from South America, the other representing the host country.

How many teams will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, and how do they qualify?

A total of 32 teams will compete in the tournament, with places distributed as follows between the international football confederations.
Africa - 4 CAF teams. Three via champions pathway (CAF Champions League) and one via ranking pathway.
Asia - 4 AFC teams. Three via champions pathway (AFC Champions League) and one via ranking pathway.
Europe - 12 UEFA teams. Four via champions pathway (UEFA Champions League) and eight via ranking pathway.
North and Central America, Caribbean - 4 Concacaf teams. All via champions pathway (Concacaf Champions Cup).
Oceania - 1 OFC team. Via ranking pathway.
South America - 6 CONMEBOL teams. Four via champions pathway (CONMEBOL Libertadores) and two via ranking pathway.
Host country - 1 team.

Which teams have qualified?

Al Ahly (EGY) – 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24 CAF Champions League
Wydad (MAR) – 2021/22 CAF Champions League
ES Tunis (TUN) - CAF ranking pathway
Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) - CAF ranking pathway
Al Hilal (KSA) – 2021 AFC Champions League
Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) – 2022 AFC Champions League
Al Ain (UAE) - 2023/24 AFC Champions League
Ulsan HD FC (KOR) - AFC ranking pathway
Chelsea (ENG) – 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid (ESP) – 2021/22 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League
Manchester City (ENG) – 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
Bayern Munich (GER) – UEFA ranking pathway
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) – UEFA ranking pathway
Inter Milan (ITA) – UEFA ranking pathway
Porto (POR) - UEFA ranking pathway
Benfica (POR) – UEFA ranking pathway
Borussia Dortmund (GER) - UEFA ranking pathway
Juventus (ITA) - UEFA ranking pathway
Atletico Madrid (ESP) - UEFA ranking pathway
FC Salzburg (AUT) - UEFA ranking pathway
Monterrey (MEX) – 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup
Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup
Club Leon (MEX) – 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup
Pachuca (MEX) - 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup
Auckland City (NZL) – OFC ranking pathway
Palmeiras (BRA) – 2021 CONMEBOL Libertadores
Flamengo (BRA) – 2022 CONMEBOL Libertadores
Fluminense (BRA) – 2023 CONMEBOL Libertadores
River Plate (ARG) - CONMEBOL ranking pathway
Boca Juniors (ARG) - CONMEBOL ranking pathway

What is the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 format?

A group stage composed of eight groups of four teams per group playing in a single-game round-robin format.

The top two teams per group progress to the round of 16.

A direct single-match knockout stage from the round of 16 to the final.

No third-place play-off.

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Afghanistan clinches ODI series victory against Zimbabwe

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan's national cricket team triumphed over Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) to claim the series victory.

In a dominant bowling display, Afghanistan dismissed Zimbabwe for just 127 runs in 30.1 overs. The Afghan batsmen then chased down the target comfortably in 26.5 overs, losing only 2 wickets along the way.

The standout performer of the match was Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who took a remarkable 5 wickets, while Rashid Khan supported with 3 wickets. Azmatullah Omarzai and Farid Ahmad each claimed 1 wicket.

The first match of the series was abandoned due to rain, but Afghanistan bounced back strongly in the second match, securing a commanding 232-run victory.

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Sport

Bangla Tigers lift Lanka T10 Super League title

Player of the match and player of the series was Titan’s skipper Dasun Shanaka.

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ariana News

Hambantota Bangla Tigers beat favorites Jaffna Titans by 26 runs in Thursday’s Lanka T10 Super League final at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.

The Tigers produced a fine all-round performance to beat the Titans, who had won all their matches in the lead up to the final.

Player of the match and player of the series was Titan’s skipper Dasun Shanaka.

Hambantota Bangla Tigers, put into bat first, posted 133 for seven from their allotted 10 overs through some useful contributions from their top order batsmen.

The openers Mohammad Shahzad and Kusal Perera added 35 runs from 2.4 overs before they suffered a middle order collapse and reached 59 for three at the halfway stage of the innings.

However, skipper Dasun Shanaka and Shevon Daniel revived the innings with a fourth-wicket partnership of 44 runs in three overs.

Shanaka made 21 with two sixes and two boundaries while Daniel struck 26 with one six and three boundaries before Kennar Lewis and Dhananjaya Lakshan added the finishing touches.

Chasing 133 runs for victory, Jaffna Titans lost wickets at regular intervals and they eventually finished at 107 for six despite a fighting unbeaten half century from middle order batsman Tom Abell.
Richard Gleeson wrecked the Hambantota Bangla Tigers’ innings with excellent figures of three wickets for 21 while Shanaka captured two wickets for four runs.