With just three months to go before the start of the Club World Cup, Bayern München’s star striker Harry Kane reveals he’s set his sights on lifting the coveted trophy. 

In a chat with FIFA about the new Club World Cup, which will take place in the United States from June 14, the English player said: “We’re one of the best teams in the world, without a doubt, so every tournament we go into, the idea is to win.” 

Kane has struggled to secure significant silverware throughout his career to match his personal achievements with England, Tottenham Hotspur, and now Bayern. 

And after a run of 11 straight Bundesliga triumphs, Bayern were astonishingly bumped down into third place during Kane’s debut season in Germany, with Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen winning the title following an unprecedented unbeaten campaign. 

This term, under new head coach Vincent Kompany, the Allianz Arena outfit are back on top of the Bundesliga rankings by a comfortable margin and have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 in the round of 16, where Kane scored three times across the two legs.

Kane’s focus is naturally on those two more immediate challenges, but the prospect of competing at the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup presents a new and exciting opportunity, with Bayern having been drawn into Group C alongside CA Boca Juniors, SL Benfica and Auckland City FC. 

He said: “We know it’ll be tough, of course, as every major tournament will be. But we’re having a good season. We’re focused on the Bundesliga and the Champions League, but once we’re there in June, I think there’ll be a real hunger to try and be the first ones to win this tournament.”     

One of the biggest and most interesting matches of the group stage will be the Bayern vs Boca Juniors game. Kane said: “That will be a special match. I think it’ll be one of the stand-out matches in the whole of the group phase and in the whole tournament. 

“That game is in Miami, which will be pretty special with the fanbase there. It’ll be a really tough game but one we’ll enjoy.” 

The Club World Cup is clearly beginning to look like an unmissable event, especially after FIFA’s announcement last week that the prize pool for the event has been set at a staggering $1 billion.

Taking place from June 14 to July 13, the challenge will bring together 32 of the world’s top clubs and 63 matches will be held across 12 US cities.

Teams qualified across four seasons by winning titles or through consistent performances in continental club competitions until 2024.

Cricketing hero Virat Kohli has praised his teammates for all stepping up at various points in their successful ICC Champions Trophy 2025 mission.

In the Final, it was Rohit Sharma that led the way. In the semi-final, it was Virat Kohli with the bat and Mohammed Shami with the ball, among others.

India won five straight games to claim the Champions Trophy 2025 and in each of those contests, a handful of their star players shone bright.

Those contributions led to another title-yielding run in a major ICC event. And Kohli exemplified that in Dubai, scoring an unbeaten ton against Pakistan and a crucial 84 off 98 balls against Australia to help his side qualify for the decider.

“I think to win titles, which has been missing in the past, the whole team must step up in different games,” Kohli said after India’s memorable Final win against New Zealand.

“If you look at this tournament, over the course of five matches, everyone has put their hand up somewhere or another.

“These are the things, after playing for so long, you look forward to. Being in situations where you are put under pressure, and you walk in, and you put your hand up.”

After Rohit took full advantage of the new ball, it was Shreyas Iyer that came in and played a commanding helping hand, as India went about surging towards the Black Caps’ total of 251.

Shreyas scored a clutch 48 through the middle overs, where runs had proven infamously hard to come by on the Dubai surface, which was enough to set up KL Rahul for finishing duties, with one over to spare.

“That is why we ended up winning this tournament,” Kohli continued.

“People have made such impactful knocks and produced such impactful spells, and it is only a collective effort that can win you a title. I am just so happy we were able to play as a unit and really enjoy ourselves. We have had such an amazing time as a team. It has been an amazing tournament for us.”

Kohli believes the future is bright for India, with the experienced batter now tipping a prolonged period of dominance in the coming years.

“We have the squad that is ready to take on the world in the next eight to 10 years and these guys definitely have the talent to do so,” Kohli said.

“They have stepped up already with so many impactful innings that this guy (Gill) has played. Shreyas beautiful, KL (Rahul) has been finishing games and Hardik (Pandya) is a match-winner so we are in good hands.”

One of the stories of the Champions Trophy has been India’s mid-campaign inclusion of Varun Chakaravarthy, who took 5/42 against the Kiwis in the group stage, in his first tournament appearance.

He would go on to become a crucial member of India’s knockout stage run, finishing with nine wickets from his three games.

Chakaravarthy was a key cog in his side’s spin bowling cartel that, game after game, choked the life out of their opponent’s batting innings.

Kuldeep Yadav was the other slow bowler that reaped rewards, picking up two scalps in the Final, while Ravindra Jadeja’s accurate and quality execution was also on full display, finishing with figures of 1/30 off 10 overs.

New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner was full of praise for India’s attack.

“It was good bowling,” Santner said.

“We lost a couple of wickets after the powerplay and then they really got the squeeze on. Credit to the way their spinners bowled, all four of them. They are world class bowlers, and they showed that again today.”

It’s now back-to-back ICC events for India’s Men’s team, after their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup success last year.

It sets them up to be the team to beat at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2028.

Indian players spoke about riding the momentum they have created through their dominance in ICC tournaments. And that certainly shone through on the big stage in Dubai.

FIFA announced this week that the prize pool for this year’s Club World Cup has been set at a staggering $1 billion.

The Club World Cup, which will take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States, will see 32 of the world’s top teams battle it out for the trophy.

FIFA stated that anticipated revenue from the tournament will total $2 billion, therefore allowing FIFA’s reserves to stay intact. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement that part of the generated funds will be allocated to club football worldwide.

“FIFA will not keep a single dollar,” he said.

This announcement comes a little more than three months before the opening match in Miami – and on the eve of the start of the 100-day countdown.

Sixty three matches will be held across 12 US cities.

Teams qualified across four seasons by winning titles or through consistent performances in continental club competitions until 2024.

Reasons you can’t miss the Club World Cup

From star players through standout fixtures to stunning stadiums, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is expected to be an unmissable event.

USA will move to the centre of the football world this June and July when the country plays host to the groundbreaking global event which will showcase the 32 most successful club sides from each of the six continental confederations.

From Messi to Mbappe, Cavani to Kane, with Haaland, Vini Jr, Griezmann and scores of other icons sprinkled in for good measure, this tournament will be illuminated by some of the global game’s greatest players.

As well as established icons, the Club World Cup will also give its global audience a glimpse of some of the sport’s most exciting and talked-about youngsters.

Following December’s draw, fans can expect some heavyweight clashes.

Even the trophy is an extravaganza in itself, having been crafted in collaboration with iconic jeweller Tiffany & Co.