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Club World Cup draw LIVE! Chelsea and Man City learn group stage opponents
Club World Cup draw LIVE!
The draw for the expanded 2025 Club World Cup takes place in Miami this evening. FIFA have controversially chosen to dramatically revamp the competition and change it from an annual seven-team affair to one which will now take place in the summer every four years. The number of clubs involved has been boosted significantly from seven to 32 from six different confederations including 12 from Europe, with eight groups of four set to be drawn tonight.
Chelsea and holders Manchester City were both handed places from the Premier League due to Uefa ranking after both winning the Champions League over recent seasons, but the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham all missed out. Barcelona are among the other high-profile European absentees from the overhauled tournament, which has not been well received by players and leagues alike who are greatly worried over the impacts an increasingly packed fixture schedule.
The first instalment of the new 32-team Club World Cup is set to run in the United States from June 15-July 13 next year, staged across 12 different venues from 11 separate host cities including Washington DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando and more. Follow the 2025 Club World Cup draw live below!
Club World Cup draw latest news
Start time: Approx 6pm GMT | Miami
How to watch: FIFA and DAZN
How does the draw work?
Draw pots confirmed
When is the Club World Cup?
Club World Cup draw complete
19:38 , George Flood
And that completes tonight’s lengthy draw for the first-ever 32-team Club World Cup to be held in the USA next summer.
Here’s those groups in full:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: PSG, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Chelsea, Club Leon
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, CF Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad AC, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, Al-Hilal, CF Pachuca, FC Salzburg
Club World Cup draw
19:34 , George Flood
Only one team left to be drawn, and it’s CF Pachuca of Mexico.
They head into Group H with Real Madrid, Al-Hilal and FC Salzburg.
H3 is their position, so they will play Salzburg first.
Club World Cup draw
19:32 , George Flood
Al Ain of the UAE are the penultimate team drawn from Pot 4.
Into Group G they go, with Manchester City, Wydad AC and Juventus.
They will play Juve up first.
Club World Cup draw
19:31 , George Flood
Seattle Sounders have now been drawn, with that final spot in Group B reserved for the second MLS representatives.
They join PSG, Atletico Madrid and Botafogo.
They will play the Brazilian giants first at Lumen Field.
Club World Cup draw
19:29 , George Flood
Urawa Red Diamonds up next, the Japanese team beaten by Manchester City in the semi-finals of the 2023 Club World Cup in Jeddah.
They go into Group E, joining River Plate, Monterrey and Inter Milan.
It’ll be position E2 for them and River up first.
Club World Cup draw
19:27 , George Flood
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa are next out of the hat.
They can’t go into either Group B or Group E, so it’s Group F alongside Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund and Ulsan HD.
F4, so it’s Ulsan up first.
Club World Cup draw
19:25 , George Flood
Esperance Sportive de Tunis are going into Group D with Flamengo, Chelsea and Club Leon.
D2 the only spot left, meaning they will play Flamengo first.
Club World Cup draw
19:23 , George Flood
Auckland City FC of New Zealand are next from Pot 4.
Group B’s final spot is reserved for Seattle Sounders, so it’s into Group C with Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors and Benfica.
They are C2 and will play Bayern first.
Club World Cup draw
19:21 , George Flood
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami first from Pot 4.
They are into Group A and take spot A4.
Inter Miami vs Al Ahly will be the first game of the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium on June 15.
Club World Cup draw
19:20 , George Flood
Pot 4 will conclude tonight’s 2025 Club World Cup draw.
Groups so far:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly
Group B: PSG, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo
Group C: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Boca Juniors
Group D: Flamengo, Chelsea, Club Leon
Group E: River Plate, Inter Milan, CF Monterrey
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD
Group G: Manchester City, Juventus, Wydad AC
Group H: Real Madrid, FC Salzburg, Al-Hilal
Club World Cup draw
19:18 , George Flood
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia are last out of Pot 3.
The Saudi Arabian giants are into Group H with Real Madrid and FC Salzburg.
H2 - Madrid first up for them. A certain Neymar plays for Al-Hilal of course...
Club World Cup draw
19:15 , George Flood
Wydad AC of Morocco go into Group G with Manchester City and Juventus.
Position G2 means they will play City first.
Club World Cup draw
19:15 , George Flood
Ulsan HD of South Korea up next.
They are placed in Group F, with Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund.
F3 is their spot, so again they will need to wait for Pot 4 to be drawn to find out their first opponents.
Club World Cup draw
19:13 , George Flood
CF Monterrey are the next Mexican team to be drawn from Pot 3.
They are into Group E with River Plate and Inter Milan.
They are drawn as E3, so will meet Inter first.
Club World Cup draw
19:10 , George Flood
Club Leon of Mexico are next out of Pot 3.
They will join Flamengo and Chelsea in Group D.
They take spot D4, so will play Chelsea up first.
Club World Cup draw
19:08
The second Argentine giants are out of the hat in Boca Juniors.
They go into Group C with Bayern Munich and Benfica.
C3 for Boca, so it’s Benfica up first.
Club World Cup draw
19:06 , George Flood
Reigning African champions Al Ahly of Egypt are second out of Pot 3, drawn by Brazilian model Adriana Lima.
They go into Group A with Palmeiras and Porto.
They take spot A3, so will have to wait for Pot 4 to be drawn to discover the opponents for their first game.
Club World Cup draw
19:04
Recent Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo are out of Pot 3 first.
They cannot go into Group A with fellow Brazilian side Palmeiras, so it’s Group B instead along with PSG and Atletico Madrid.
They are B3.
Club World Cup draw
19:03
After a very brief break, it’s onto Pot 3...
Club World Cup draw
19:02 , George Flood
Halfway through the draw then. Here’s a reminder of what we’ve got so far:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto
Group B: PSG, Atletico Madrid
Group C: Bayern Munich, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, Chelsea
Group E: River Plate, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund
Group G: Manchester City, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, FC Salzburg
Club World Cup draw
18:59 , George Flood
FC Salzburg are last out of Pot 2.
They will go into Group H with Real Madrid.
Two more teams set to meet in the Champions League in January.
H4 for Salzburg, so they will play Los Blancos last in the group.
Club World Cup draw
18:57 , George Flood
Manchester City are joined in Group G by Juventus.
Those two sides also go head to head in the Champions League in Turin next week.
G4 for Juve. That game will finish the group.
Club World Cup draw
18:55 , George Flood
Borussia Dortmund out now.
No constraints to stop them going into Group F with Fluminense.
Position F2 means they will face the Brazilians first.
Club World Cup draw
18:53 , George Flood
Inter Milan are placed in Group E, along with River Plate.
E4 means they will take on the Argentine giants last.
Club World Cup draw
18:51 , George Flood
Benfica out of Pot 2 next.
They are going to join Bayern Munich in Group C.
C4 is their position. It means Bayern-Benfica will be the last game in the group.
Club World Cup draw
18:49 , George Flood
Atletico Madrid are into a heavyweight Group B along with PSG.
It’s B2 in terms of position, so that’ll be the opening game in the group.
Tasty.
Club World Cup draw
18:48 , George Flood
Chelsea are second out of Pot 2.
Del Piero then goes through the myriad of draw constraints.
Chelsea go into Group D with Flamengo.
Wenger to draw their position in the group... D3.
Club World Cup draw
18:46 , George Flood
Porto are drawn into Group A with Palmeiras.
That will be the opening game in the group.
Club World Cup draw
18:45 , George Flood
Now it’s time for Pot 2, which contains Chelsea as well as Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica and FC Salzburg.
Porto out of the hat first...
Club World Cup draw
18:44 , George Flood
Bayern Munich are indeed the final club out of Pot 1.
They go into Group C.
Club World Cup draw
18:42 , George Flood
Champions League holders Real Madrid are now into the mix.
Group H for Los Blancos.
That leaves just Bayern Munich to come from Pot 1...
Club World Cup draw
18:41 , George Flood
Three-time South American champions Flamengo are next out of Pot 1.
They are placed in Group D.
Club World Cup draw
18:41 , George Flood
Manchester City have been drawn next.
The holders are into Group G.
Club World Cup draw
18:40 , George Flood
Gloria Estefan thinks she’s on her final ball drawn, before Del Piero tells her there are five more.
Fluminense head into Group F.
Club World Cup draw
18:39 , George Flood
Now Argentine powerhouses River Plate are out.
They get drawn into Group E.
Club World Cup draw
18:38 , George Flood
Gloria Estefan draws Paris Saint-Germain into Group B.
Not a sentence I expected to type today.
Club World Cup draw
18:37 , George Flood
Brazilian giants Palmeiras are the first side out of the hat.
They go into Group A.
Club World Cup draw
18:36 , George Flood
A little jig from Arsene Wenger there continues the slightly bizarre theme of this ceremony.
Now it’s time to introduce the teams from Pot 1.
Ivanka Trump and her son Theo are up on stage to help...
18:33 , George Flood
Samantha Johnson and Alessandro Del Piero have now been joined by a raft of draw assistants on stage including the great Gloria Estefan, Brazilian model Adriana Lima, Italian TV presenter Diletta Leotta and artist Romero Britto.
Arsene Wenger and Youri Djorkaeff are also among the other prominent figures helping out in a different studio with what may prove a pretty convoluted draw with the various pathways.
18:27 , George Flood
Juventus and Italy icon Alessandro Del Piero is now on stage to introduce a video explaining exactly how the draw will work.
Almost there, people. Where’s Giorgio Marchetti when you need him?
New trophy unveiled
18:24 , George Flood
It’s more than your average trophy as the big gold key unlocks it and causes the rings in the middle to move. Swish.
I believe they said it was made by Tiffany and Co and is being toured around the world in the New Year.
New trophy unveiled
18:22
Brazilian Ronaldo joins Gianni Infantino to unveil the new Club World Cup trophy.
They are all big fans of it on the stage.
Infantino giving thanks to Jared Kushner now.
Now someone’s brought out a big key. It’s all going on.
New trophy unveiled
18:17 , George Flood
After a Hollywood-style promo trailer, we’re hopefully going to be underway with the draw itself now.
Nope, spoke too soon - first we’re getting the first unveiling of the competition’s brand new trophy.
Donald Trump sends message
18:14 , George Flood
Now we’re being shown a pre-recorded message from returning US President Donald Trump, who says soccer is “going through the roof” as he praises Infantino and FIFA.
Ivanka Trump is also in the audience in Miami this evening.
Club World Cup draw
18:10 , George Flood
The draw ceremony is off and running after a catchy opening number, choreographed by Cuban-American music legend Emilio Estefan.
He’s been up on the stage exchanging a few words with host Samantha Johnson.
Now it’s time for some opening remarks from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
10-minute warning
17:55 , George Flood
Less than 10 minutes to go now until we’re officially underway in Miami!
The famous faces have been arriving on the red carpet, including the likes of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Boca Juniors president Juan Roman Riquelme, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and many more.
Noureddine Naybet is among the other club representatives with Moroccan side Wydad AC. Remember him, Spurs fans?
17:43
Manchester City won the final version of the far lower-key seven-team Club World Cup held in Saudi Arabia last December.
They entered at the semi-final stage as the Champions League holders, beating Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 in Jeddah before a 4-0 thumping of Brazilian outfit Fluminense in the final.
City could end up drawing Urawa again this evening, though they are in the same pot as Fluminense.
Host venues and cities for 2025 Club World Cup
17:32
So we already know the opening game will involve Inter Miami at Hard Rock Stadium and the final will be at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, but what are other host cities and venues for next summer’s expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the USA?
The Seattle Sounders are the other MLS representatives in the competition and will play their group games at home at Lumen Field.
Otherwise we’ve got the famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, plus two venues in Orlando in Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium.
There’s also Geodis Park in Nashville, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati and Audi Field in Washington D.C.
DAZN strike deal to broadcast Club World Cup free to air
17:18 , George Flood
Yesterday came the news that FIFA had agreed an exclusive deal for DAZN to show the 2025 Club World Cup live and free to air.
It had been reported that the lack of a broadcast deal up until now had been causing concern and frustration among some clubs.
“Through this broadcasting agreement, billions of football fans worldwide can now watch what will be the most widely accessible club football tournament ever - and for free,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
DAZN’s chief executive Shay Segev said: “This groundbreaking deal with FIFA is a major milestone in DAZN’s journey to be the ultimate entertainment platform of choice for sports fans everywhere.
“We’re delighted to have the exclusive rights to this new chapter in global club football, marking the start of our long-term relationship with FIFA and cementing our status as the home of football.”
Pachuca and Club Leon involvement draws complaint
17:05 , George Flood
There have also been headlines this week around the inclusion of two Mexican teams in the draw that share the same owners in Club de Futbol Pachuca and Club Leon.
Both sides are under the umbrella of the Pachuca Group, with the involvement of both clubs leading to an official complaint from Costa Rican club Liga Deportiva Alajuelense - back-to-back winners of the CONCACAF Central American Cup.
However, both Pachuca and Club Leon are still both set to take place in this evening’s draw as scheduled.
16:58
Another reminder of the pots for tonight’s draw...
A reminder of the pots before the #FIFACWC draw. 🗳️ pic.twitter.com/YJgOepQFCS
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) December 5, 2024
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami get Club World Cup invite
16:43
Among the other headlines and controversies to come before tonight’s group stage draw is the October selection of Inter Miami as the team to claim the one spot in the new Club World Cup reserved for a club from the host nation.
The side co-owned by David Beckham and led by Lionel Messi were picked as a result of winning the MLS Supporters' Shield for the first time in the autumn.
That is the title given to the MLS team that finishes with the best regular-season record ahead of the playoffs.
Some thought that the host nation place should have gone to the winners of the 2024 MLS Cup, which will be decided on Saturday night when the Los Angeles Galaxy host the New York Red Bulls at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Columbus Crew were the 2023 winners of the MLS Cup, meanwhile.
Club World Cup expansion leads to player outcry
16:33 , George Flood
To say that Fifa’s revamp of the Club World Cup has gone down badly with many players and leagues would be putting it mildly.
It has formed the central argument from many players who have become disillusioned with the ever-increasing fixture list and fear imminent burnout, with many even publicly threatening to go on strike in recent months.
Legal complaints have arisen over a football calendar that has been described as “overloaded and unworkable”.
Fifa have defended the changes though and have no plans to row back, insisting they have a “duty and responsibility" to implement an international match calendar in the "best interests of world football".
When is the Club World Cup?
16:22 , George Flood
The first edition of this new 32-team Club World Cup - technically the 21st overall - is due to take place across just 29 days next summer.
The competition will begin in Miami on June 15 and culminate in the final to be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 13.
There are 12 different host venues in total located across 11 US cities.
Club World Cup draw pots
16:14
Here are the all-important pots for this evening’s draw, with holders Manchester City in Pot 1 and Chelsea landing in Pot 2...
Pot 1: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, Fluminense
Pot 2: Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan,Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, FC Salzburg
Pot 3: Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Al Ahly, Wydad AC, Monterrey, Club Leon, Boca Juniors, Botafogo
Pot 4: Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, Auckland City, Inter Miami
How does the Club World Cup draw work?
16:09 , George Flood
The 32 teams involved in the expanded 2025 Club World Cup have been split into four pots of eight, with rankings based on performances in each continent's top-tier competition across the previous four seasons.
For example, European teams have been judged on their Champions League performances and CONMEBOL teams on their Copa Libertadores displays.
Pot 1 consists of the best European and South American teams, Pot 2 is the remaining European teams, Pot 3 is the two best sides from the remaining confederations and Pot 4 features the rest plus the sole Oceania Football Confederation representative.
The draw will create four groups of eight teams, with no group able to feature more than one team from the same confederation - with the exception of UEFA.
Clubs from the same member association cannot be paired together, meaning a group containing both Chelsea and Manchester City is not possible.
The top two teams from each group will advance into the last 16, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to follow.
There is no third-place play-off planned.
How to watch Club World Cup draw
16:04 , George Flood
Tonight’s full draw will be broadcast live and for free across FIFA's channels, including the website and YouTube channel, and FIFA+, FIFA's streaming service, and DAZN.
DAZN have also this week struck a deal to show the tournament free-to-air in its entirety next summer.
Club World Cup draw live
16:00 , George Flood
The draw for the 2025 Club World Cup takes place in Miami this evening.
Chelsea and defending champions Manchester City are among the 32 teams set to learn their fate for the first edition of the greatly revamped and expanded tournament to be held in the USA next summer.
Proceedings in Florida are due to get underway at 6pm GMT, so stay tuned for build-up, all you need to know and live coverage of the draw as it happens.
