The 32-team lineup for the expanded edition of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is now complete following Saturday's Copa Libertadores final.
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- Club World Cup expanded to 32 teams
- Real Madrid & Inter Miami among finalists
- Lineup complete with last entrant qualifying
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WHAT HAPPENED?
FIFA has opened the Club World Cup to 32 teams across six continents. The first edition of the newly formatted tournament will take place in the summer of 2025. Among the participating teams are European champions Real Madrid, English sides Chelsea and Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Thirty-one teams had been confirmed for the group stage draw heading into this weekend, with Botafogo scheduled to meet fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in the final of South America's Copa Libertadores. Despite playing essentially the entire 90 minutes with ten men due to an extremely early red card, Botafogo ran out 3-1 winners and booked their spot at the Club World Cup.
- AFP
DID YOU KNOW?
The reinvention of the Club World Cup has not come without controversy. Many players have hit back at FIFA's decision to clog the footballing calendar with another gruelling competition at a time when there have been calls to reduce the number of games played at the top level, while the decision to invite Inter Miami, who were knocked out of the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, was largely seen as a ploy to shoehorn Messi into the tournament.
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WHAT NEXT?
The group stage draw for the Club World Cup will take place on Thursday, December 5 at 18:00 GMT. The finals will take place in the United States and run from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
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