Major Man City FIFA Club World Cup update as 11 opponents ruled out and Lionel Messi reality clear

Manchester City will avoid Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in Thursday's group stage draw for the FIFA Club World Cup next summer - but could be paired with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

And they could face a daunting group clash with Champions League rivals Inter Milan or Atletico Madrid after FIFA confirmed the seedings for the group stage. City will play one fellow UEFA team in the group stage as there are only European sides in Pot Two, but will avoid the best-ranked sides in the competition after being seeded in Pot One.

City will defend their Club World Cup title in the expanded 32-team tournament as top seeds, with Thursday's draw confirming their three group opponents and where those games will take place. They will also avoid second seeds Real Madrid until at least the semi-final.

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Now, FIFA have confirmed the four seeding pots, with City in Pot One alongside Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate and the side they beat in the 2023 final, Fluminense.

Pot Two contains Chelsea - who City will avoid as a fellow English qualifier - plus Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus and Salzburg.

There will be no restrictions for City in Pot Three, which contains Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Monterrey, Leon, Boca Juniors and newly-crowned Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo.

And there could be a reunion between Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi in Pot Four if City are paired with Inter Miami. The final pot is completed by 2023 opponents Urawa Red Diamonds, as well as Al Ain, ES Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders and Auckland City.

Thursday's draw (6pm UK time) will see City placed in a group alongside a side from pots two, three, and four, before FIFA are expected to publish the match schedule which will give City their locations for the tournament. The group draw should also allow City to plot a potential path to the latter stages, particularly in relation to when they could come up against the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern, PSG or Chelsea.

FIFA have further confirmed draw restrictions that will see the top two seeds separated - City and Real Madrid - on separate sides of the draw, so they will not be able to meet until the last four. Likewise, that will be the earliest they can face Conmebol top seeds Flamengo and Palmeiras.

If City, Real, Bayern and PSG all win their groups, they will also be separated until the semi-finals, while their opponents in Pot 2 have been limited to one of Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus and Salzburg for scheduling reasons. That means Inter, Dortmund, Porto and Chelsea won't be group stage opponents.

FIFA have also confirmed that Inter Miami will take the fourth spot in Group A, and they will open the tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.

FIFA add that the schedule will take into account stadium requirements, so City will almost certainly be given the bigger stadiums in the tournament, and also kick-off times for broadcast considerations. It says 'a range of factors including sporting and player-centric criteria' will determine the final schedule, expected to be published after the draw.

Club World Cup draw details:

POT ONE - Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Palmeiras , River Plate, Fluminense.

POT TWO - Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, Salzburg

POT THREE - Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Monterrey, Leon, Boca Juniors, Botafogo.

POT FOUR - Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, ES Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, Auckland City, Inter Miami.