Club World Cup 2025: Which Are the 32 Participating Teams and How Does the Tournament Work?
The FIFA Club World Cup, the most prestigious FIFA club competition, is about to undergo a historic transformation: for the first time in its history, the Club World Cup will feature 32 teams instead of 7. With this new format, the competition is expected to enlarge the participation and increase stakes, aiming to rival the prestige of the FIFA World Cup for national teams.
These 32 teams are selected from six FIFA confederations all around the world: UEFA for Europe, CONMEBOL for South America, AFC for Asia, CAF for Africa, CONCACAF for North and Central America and OFC for Oceania. The host country, for this edition the United States, will also have a representative team.
How does the FIFA Club World Cup Work?
The tournament, which will start on June 15, 2025, will be organized into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, which will culminate in the final match scheduled for July 13, 2025. This format ensures a comprehensive competition, providing teams with ample opportunities to showcase their skills on the global stage. As for any other international sport event of such a scale, betting markets are already active in anticipation for the FIFA Club World Cup with a lot of betting options and odds. Among the latter, ante post odds on the winner of the competition see Real Madrid ahead of everyone, followed by Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. However, since this is the first edition of the competition, it is not possible to know how the teams will face this new tournament and regarding the physical condition teams will be in when the tournament starts, which is why betting on these matches still leaves room for several unknowns. For fans interested in placing a wager, the new Club World Cup format offers an exciting range of betting opportunities. Sites like oddschecker provide a regularly updated list of top bookmakers and welcome bonuses—allowing users to compare offers and find the best value before the tournament kicks off.
FIFA Club World Cup: the 32 participating Teams
The 2025 tournament features a diverse array of teams from across the globe and highlights the tournament’s aim to bring together the best clubs from every continent to compete for one of the most ambitious club football titles and the impressive prize money. Below is the list of all 32 teams participating in the new FIFA Club World Cup.
UEFA Representatives: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, FC Salzburg, Juventus, Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Porto;
CONMEBOL Representatives: Palmeiras, Flamengo, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Fluminense and Botafogo
AFC Representatives: Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Urawa Red Diamonds and Al Ain
CAF Representatives: Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Espérance Sportive de Tunisie and Mamelodi Sundowns
CONCACAF Representatives: CF Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, CF Pachuca, Inter Miami and the winner among Los Angeles FC and Club América
OFC Representative: Auckland City FC
The introduction of the expanded 32-team format is expected to significantly enhance the tournament’s appeal and competitiveness. By aligning the Club World Cup with the prestige of the FIFA World Cup – with the only difference being the absence of a third-place match – FIFA aims to create an event that captivates global audiences and fosters the growth of club football worldwide.
As the tournament approaches, anticipation builds among fans and players alike. With top clubs from every continent vying for the title, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup promises to be a landmark event in the history of football.