FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Bundesliga Gears Up for USA Tournament

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are preparing to represent the Bundesliga in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup set to take place in the United States in 2025. This article explains the format of this 32-team tournament, which aims to crown the ultimate global club champion.

Understanding the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is a significantly larger version of the annual competition that previously involved the champions from football`s six global confederations (like UEFA and CONMEBOL) plus a team from the host country. The 2025 tournament marks a change, expanding to include 32 teams from all six confederations. It will be held every four years, with the United States hosting the inaugural expanded event in 2025.

Qualification Process for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Teams secured their spots in the tournament through a four-year qualification window via two main methods:

1. Champions Pathway: Winning their confederation`s top club competition during the qualification period (e.g., UEFA Champions League, CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, CAF Champions League).
2. Ranking Pathway: Based on a club`s performance in their confederation`s premier club competition throughout the qualification period. FIFA`s ranking system was used for most continents, while UEFA`s established club coefficient system determined European qualifiers via this route.

Allocation of Places per Confederation

The 32 spots in the tournament are distributed among the confederations as follows:

• Africa (CAF): 4 places (3 champions, 1 ranking)
• Asia (AFC): 4 places (3 champions, 1 ranking)
• Europe (UEFA): 12 places (4 champions, 8 ranking)
• North & Central America (Concacaf): 4 places (3 champions, 1 play-off)
• Oceania (OFC): 1 place (1 ranking)
• South America (CONMEBOL): 6 places (4 champions, 2 ranking)
• Host country: 1 place (via invitation – USA)

Key Exceptions:

• If a club wins more than one continental title during the qualifying period, an extra ranking spot for that confederation becomes available.
• Generally, there is a limit of two clubs per country, unless more than two clubs from the same country win their continental championship during the qualifying period. For example, if three German clubs had won the UEFA Champions League between 2021 and 2024, all three would have qualified.

Bundesliga Participants and Qualification

Both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund secured their places through the ranking pathway. Their strong performances in the UEFA Champions League from 2021 to 2024 positioned them third (Bayern) and sixth (Dortmund) respectively in UEFA`s coefficient system. This makes them the first and third-highest ranked qualifiers from Europe via this method.

Other Qualified Clubs for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Here is a list of other clubs that have qualified for the tournament:

Bold type indicates continental champions and the title-winning season.

• Africa: Al Ahly (EGY, 2020/21, 2022/23 & 2023/24), Espérance de Tunis (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Wydad Casablanca (MOR, 2021/22)
• Asia: Al Ain (UAE, 2023/24), Al Hilal (KSA, 2021), Ulsan HD (KOR), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN, 2022)
• Europe: Atlético Madrid (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), Benfica (POR), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Chelsea (ENG, 2020/21), Juventus (ITA), Inter Milan (ITA), Manchester City (ENG, 2022/23), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), FC Porto (POR), Real Madrid (ESP, 2021/22 & 2023/24), RB Salzburg (AUT)
• North and Central America: Los Angeles FC (USA)*, Monterrey (MEX, 2021), Pachuca (MEX, 2024), Seattle Sounders (USA, 2022)
• Oceania: Auckland City FC (NZL)
• South America: Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA, 2024), Flamengo (BRA, 2022), Fluminense (BRA, 2023), Palmeiras (BRA, 2021), River Plate (ARG)
• Host country: Inter Miami (USA)

*Note: Due to shared ownership with Pachuca, Club León (Mexico), which originally qualified by winning the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, was replaced. Their spot was determined by a play-off between Los Angeles FC (2023 runners-up) and Club América (highest-ranked team by FIFA coefficient after the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup).

Tournament Schedule and Venues

Sixty-three matches will be held across twelve venues in the United States. The tournament kicks off on June 15, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The final is scheduled for July 13, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey. Five of the host stadiums are also designated venues for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which the US will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Format

The competition will follow this structure:

• Group Stage: Eight groups, each containing four teams. Teams play each other once (single round-robin).
• The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout rounds.
• Knockout Stage: Straight knockout matches from the Round of 16 through to the final.
• There will be no match for third place.

Bundesliga Teams` Group Stage Schedule:

Bayern Munich begins their Group C matches on June 15 against Auckland City at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. They then face Boca Juniors on June 21 at Miami`s Hard Rock Stadium, followed by a match against Benfica on June 24 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Borussia Dortmund starts their title challenge in Group F against Fluminense on June 17 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Their next match is against Mamelodi Sundowns on June 21 at TQL Stadium, concluding the group stage against Ulsan HD at the same Cincinnati venue on June 25.

Complete Tournament Draw

Here are the eight groups:

• Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
• Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
• Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
• Group D: Flamengo, Espérance de Tunis, Chelsea, Los Angeles FC
• Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, 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, Pachuca, Red Bull Salzburg