What is the FIFA Club World Cup?
Traditionally, the Club World Cup has taken place every year in December, with the winners of the club competitions from Europe (UEFA), South America (CONMEBOL), Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), North America (CONCACAF) and Oceania (OFC) facing off, along with a club from the host nation.
In December last year, FIFA announced the competition would be expanded to 32 club teams and would take place every four years.
The annual competition will now be rebranded as the Intercontinental Cup, with the Champions League winner playing in the final against a team that comes through a series of Intercontinental play-offs.
When is the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?
The FIFA Club World Cup will take place over 29 days, beginning on June 15th 2025, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami facing off against Egyptian club Al Ahly in the opening match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
The top two teams from the eight groups of four will progress to the last 16 knockout stage. The final will take place on July 13th 2025 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Where is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
The 2025 Club World Cup takes place in the United States of America; with 12 stadiums hosting games:
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
- Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, Florida)
- GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
- Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Lumen Field (Seattle, Washington)
- Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Why are Juventus at the FIFA Club World Cup?
Europe has 12 clubs in the 32-team tournament, with spaces allocated based on performances in the Champions League over the last four seasons from 2020/21 up to and including this season.
For next year’s edition, the previous three Champions League winners - Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City - will be joined by the best-performing sides in the tournament in the same period.
Despite being banned from European competition last season after UEFA found the club guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, Juventus’ performances in the other seasons were strong enough to earn them a spot. They joined the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan in qualifying through the ranking route.
Who will Juventus play in the FIFA Club World Cup?
The Bianconeri will kick off their campaign in Washington against Al Ain on June 18th, before facing off against Wydad AC on the 22nd June in Philadelphia. The group will then close out four days later with a tie against Manchester City in Orlando on 26th June.
Wednesday, 18 June: Al Ain (UAE) vs Juventus - Audi Field, Washington, 21:00 LT
Sunday, 22 June: Juventus vs Wydad AC (MOR) – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 12:00 LT
Thursday, 26 June: Juventus vs Manchester City (ENG) – Camping World Stadium, Orlando, 15:00 LT
If Juventus progress through the group, they will play a team from Group H; either Real Madrid, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Mexico’s CF Pachuca or Austrian side FC Salzburg.
If they win the group, they will face the Group H runner-up June 30th back at Camping World Stadium, Orlando (21:00 LT)
If they come second in the group, they will take on the Group H winners a day later (July 1st) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (15:00 LT).
Why has there been controversy around the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?
There are multiple issues of contention around the FIFA Club World Cup, most notably fixture congestion.
With European seasons finishing mid-May, players at those clubs will have at most three weeks to rest before flying out for the Club World Cup.
With successful clubs returning late July and pre-season training essential to avoiding early-season injuries, there is effectively no off season for players this year.
With the Euros in 2024 and World Cup in 2026, elite European players could theoretically play for four seasons without significant time off.
The tournament has been labelled a “cash-grab”, with gimmicks such as the inclusion of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami ahead of MLS champions Columbus Crew or either of today’s MLS Cup finalists, derided as an effort to drive revenue.
The drive seems to have failed as well, with FIFA struggling to find a television broadcast partner for the event. DAZN, who will make every match available for free around the world, have secured the international broadcast rights in a deal worth half what was originally expected.
FIFA’s claims in various reports that each participating team at the 2025 Club World Cup would net €50 million each seem to be dead in the water. According to Spanish publication Marca, most clubs will come away with much less, with the 12 UEFA sides expected to carve up 70% of the revenue between them.
What is Juventus’ record in the FIFA Club World Cup?
With the old Club World Cup restricted to continental champions only and taking place after Juve’s last Champions League win in 1996, this will be Juventus’ maiden entry in the competition.
Juventus do have experience in pan-continental competition though, having won the Intercontinental Cup twice.
In 1973, having finished runners-up in the European Cup, Juventus replaced Ajax as the representative UEFA team in the competition after the European champions declined to contest a possible meeting in South America officially for financial reasons. Juventus stepped up, losing 1-0 to Argentinian side Independiente.
In 1985, Juventus finally got their hands on the trophy in what many consider the greatest Intercontinental Cup match ever against Argentines Juniors in Tokyo. Level at 2-2 after 120 minutes, Juventus prevailed on penalties 4-2.
In 1996, the Bianconeri returned to Tokyo to claim their second title, with Alessandro Del Piero’s right footed shot into the top corner in the 81st minute giving them a 1-0 win over River Plate.
Can Juve become World Champions again next year?