FIFA Confirms Draw Procedures for the Historic 2025 Club World Cup
FIFA has officially announced the procedures for the highly anticipated draw for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, set to take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, USA.
This first-ever 32-team edition of the tournament promises global excitement as teams compete for the prestigious title. The draw will commence at 13:00 local time (19:00 CET) and will feature various measures to ensure competitive balance and geographical diversity.
The participating clubs have been divided into four pots of eight teams each, with the allocation based on confederation rankings and qualification results.
Pot 1 includes the top four European clubs—Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain—alongside South America’s elite clubs, including Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, and Fluminense.
Pot 2 features the remaining European teams, including Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus, while Pot 3 and Pot 4 comprise teams from other regions, including Al Ahly, Urawa Red Diamonds, and host representatives Inter Miami CF.
A key principle for the draw is that no group may feature more than one team from the same confederation, except UEFA, which will have 12 representatives.
As a result, four of the eight groups will feature two European clubs. Additionally, clubs from the same member association cannot be placed in the same group, ensuring diversity within each grouping.
To streamline scheduling, Inter Miami CF and Seattle Sounders FC, both representing the USA, have been pre-allocated to Groups A and B, respectively, in the fourth position. Inter Miami will host the opening match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, while Seattle Sounders will begin their campaign at Lumen Field, Seattle, shortly after.
The draw will determine which teams will be grouped together as they vie for a spot in the knockout stages. All clubs from Pot 1 will be allocated the first position in their respective groups, with additional constraints ensuring balanced competition across all eight groups.
The 2025 Club World Cup marks a significant expansion of the tournament, with its 32-team format designed to elevate the competition to new heights. Football fans worldwide eagerly await the draw to see how the tournament’s landscape will unfold.