CLUB WORLD CUP
Stars Align as 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Welcomes More World Cup winners than ever before
It will be the biggest assembly of players who have won the World Cup. That is the setting for the Club World Cup, which kicks off this weekend.
The world of football is set to witness history. The inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ kicks off on Saturday, 14 June.
It will bring together a dazzling array of international talent. The tournament features 32 of the world’s top club teams. It spans 63 matches across 12 venues in 11 host cities throughout the United States.
Among the standout figures are 26 FIFA World Cup™ winners, representing the tournament’s most decorated era. Players from four different world champion nations are included. They are Argentina, France, Germany, and Spain.
These players have already conquered the globe at the national level. Now, they seek club supremacy.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina squad is heavily featured, with 13 players. This includes global icon Lionel Messi. He is expected to lead Inter Miami CF in the opening match against Egypt’s Al Ahly FC in Miami.
France’s 2018 champions are also well-represented, including superstar Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid C.F., and veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, now with Los Angeles FC.
European champions Paris Saint-Germain add French firepower with Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez, and Presnel Kimpembe. They are fresh off their continental triumph just weeks ago.
In a tournament designed to showcase global inclusion, players from 81 different countries will feature. This makes it the most internationally representative club competition in football history.
Participating clubs initially named squads of 26 to 35 players. Between 1–10 June, a special transfer window allowed for last-minute reinforcements. 58 new players were registered during that period at a combined transfer value of USD 480.4 million, highlighting the competition’s prestige and ambition.
To ensure maximum flexibility, FIFA has also allowed a limited in-tournament transfer window from 27 June to 3 July, allowing for player additions and replacements under strict guidelines, especially for those whose contracts are set to expire.
As the world watches, the 2025 edition promises to deliver a football spectacle. It also heralds a new era in global club competition. With footballing royalty descending on American soil, the race to crown the first true world club champion begins.
- FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ squad lists contain more FIFA World Cup™ winners than squads who competed in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments
- The last four world champion nations are represented among the 32 participating clubs, including 13 of Argentina’s 2022-winning squad
- Players representing 81 countries will feature in the most inclusive global club tournament ever, which kicks off on Saturday, 14 June
The 32 participating clubs have submitted their squad lists for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ and are headlined by some of the greatest players to have competed on the global stage over the last two decades, including 26 FIFA World Cup™ winners.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ squad lists
The new FIFA Club World Cup will see the world’s top 32 club teams compete to be crowned the first true global club world champions across 63 games in 12 venues and 11 Host Cities in the United States (US) – Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C..
No fewer than 13 of the Argentina squad that lifted international football’s biggest prize in Qatar in 2022 will feature, led by Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi, who is likely to feature in the opening game against Al Ahly FC on Saturday 14 June. There are nine of France’s victorious 2018 vintage, including Real Madrid C. F. star Kylian Mbappé and Les Bleus’ then-captain Hugo Lloris of Los Angeles Football Club. Another three, Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe, come to the US as European club champions having claimed that title late last month with Paris Saint-Germain.
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“The list of participants at the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup is a true reflection of a tournament that will be the most competitive and inclusive of global football, bringing together the best talents from every continent to decide the true FIFA world club champion,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We have 26 players who will be seeking to be among the first group of stars to raise two World Cups: the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. That is history in the making. Also, with 81 countries represented, the FIFA Club World Cup is helping to make football truly global. The tournament will be the dream of every fan, a month-long football feast.”
Spanish side Atlético de Madrid boast the most FIFA World Cup winners with six while Argentinian giants CA River Plate are next-best with four. The past four world champion nations will each be represented as FC Bayern München’s Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer were in the Germany squad that won in Brazil in 2014, while Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets and CF Monterrey’s Sergio Ramos were part of the Spain side that triumphed in South Africa in 2010 alongside Real Madrid CF’s new coach Xabi Alonso.
Impressively, nine of the 11 Host Cities will host at least one group-stage game potentially featuring a FIFA World Cup winner, giving the entire fanbase across the US the opportunity to watch the world’s greatest players in person.
Highlighting the global nature of the tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup will see players from all six confederations and 81 countries participating in the tournament, including 22 nations that have never before played in a FIFA World Cup.
Participating clubs were able to name an initial squad of between 26 and 35 players for the new competition with most having reinforced their squad during the extraordinary transfer window that was open from 1 to 10 June. In a flurry of activity, 58 new players were registered for a total value of USD 480.4 million, emphasising the ambitions of clubs as they head into the new global showpiece.
In line with the applicable regulations, there is the potential for participating clubs to replace and add players during a restricted in-competition period from 27 June to 3 July 2025 within a set limit and according to specific limitations. The objective is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players’ participation. This will ensure the best players will be playing, while allowing clubs to add new recruits even during the tournament.
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, is the exclusive global broadcaster of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, making every match of the tournament available for free to fans anywhere in the world.
Watch every game for free on DAZN.com
Match tickets are available at FIFA.com/tickets.
FIFA World Cup winners named in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 squads
| Name | National team | Year | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcos Acuña | Argentina | 2022 | CA River Plate |
| Julián Alvarez | Argentina | 2022 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Franco Armani | Argentina | 2022 | CA River Plate |
| Sergio Busquets | Spain | 2010 | Inter Miami CF |
| Ángel Correa | Argentina | 2022 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Ousmane Dembélé | France | 2018 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Rodrigo De Paul | Argentina | 2022 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Ángel Di María | Argentina | 2022 | SL Benfica |
| Enzo Fernández | Argentina | 2022 | Chelsea FC |
| Olivier Giroud | France | 2018 | Los Angeles Football Club |
| Antoine Griezmann | France | 2018 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Lucas Hernandez | France | 2018 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Presnel Kimpembe | France | 2018 | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Thomas Lemar | France | 2018 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Hugo Lloris | France | 2018 | Los Angeles Football Club |
| Lautaro Martínez | Argentina | 2022 | FC Internazionale Milano |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | 2018 | Real Madrid C. F. |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 2022 | Inter Miami CF |
| Nahuel Molina | Argentina | 2022 | Atlético de Madrid |
| Gonzalo Montiel | Argentina | 2022 | CA River Plate |
| Thomas Müller | Germany | 2014 | FC Bayern München |
| Manuel Neuer | Germany | 2014 | FC Bayern München |
| Nicolas Otamendi | Argentina | 2022 | SL Benfica |
| Benjamin Pavard | France | 2018 | FC Internazionale Milano |
| Germán Pezzella | Argentina | 2022 | CA River Plate |
| Sergio Ramos | Spain | 2010 | CF Monterrey |
Nationality of players at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™
| Country | Number of players |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 141 |
| Argentina | 103 |
| Spain | 54 |
| Portugal | 49 |
| Mexico | 41 |
| USA | 40 |
| France | 37 |
| Germany | 36 |
| Italy | 36 |
| Morocco | 31 |
| South Africa | 31 |
| Japan | 29 |
| Korea Republic | 27 |
| England | 25 |
| Saudi Arabia | 25 |
| Tunisia | 25 |
| Uruguay | 24 |
| Egypt | 23 |
| New Zealand | 23 |
| Colombia | 14 |
| Austria | 13 |
| Sweden | 9 |
| Belgium | 8 |
| Mali | 8 |
| Netherlands | 8 |
| Norway | 8 |
| United Arab Emirates | 8 |
| Chile | 6 |
| Paraguay | 6 |
| Türkiye | 6 |
| Venezuela | 6 |
| Croatia | 5 |
| Ecuador | 5 |
| Nigeria | 5 |
| Serbia | 5 |
| Switzerland | 5 |
| Algeria | 4 |
| Denmark | 4 |
| Poland | 4 |
| Canada | 3 |
| Ghana | 3 |
| Greece | 3 |
| Senegal | 3 |
| Slovenia | 3 |
| Ukraine | 3 |
| Albania | 2 |
| Angola | 2 |
| Cameroon | 2 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 2 |
| El Salvador | 2 |
| Israel | 2 |
| Luxembourg | 2 |
| Armenia | 1 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 |
| Burkina Faso | 1 |
| China PR | 1 |
| Congo | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 1 |
| Gabon | 1 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Guatemala | 1 |
| Guinea | 1 |
| Guyana | 1 |
| Haiti | 1 |
| Honduras | 1 |
| IR Iran | 1 |
| Jamaica | 1 |
| Montenegro | 1 |
| Mozambique | 1 |
| Namibia | 1 |
| Palestine | 1 |
| Peru | 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1 |
| Russia | 1 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Syria | 1 |
| Tanzania | 1 |
| Togo | 1 |
| Uganda | 1 |
| Uzbekistan | 1 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 |
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Brazil formally has told FIFA it wants to host the 2029 Club World Cup, according to a report by ESPN Brazil.
The request was delivered during meetings in Rio de Janeiro as FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the country.
Infantino’s trip was focused on kick-starting the buildup to the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be staged across eight host cities in Brazil.
Behind the scenes, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) officials continued to push for FIFA’s expanded club tournament to grace South America’s biggest market. FIFA did not run a traditional bidding contest for the 2025 edition — instead appointing the United States to stage the 32-team event — and has yet to outline how the 2029 host will be selected.
CBF president Samir Xaud has framed the talks as ongoing, saying last year: “It’s a subject I discussed with president Infantino… God willing, Brazil will host the 2029 Club World Cup.”
For 2029, Brazil already has one club assured of a place in the tournament. Flamengo earned its spot by winning the 2025 Copa Libertadores title.
-Reuters
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Controversy has erupted following Chelsea’s dramatic victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup final, with reports suggesting that the trophy presented to the English club is a replica – and that the original remains in the possession of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Blues clinched the inaugural edition of the revamped tournament at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 13, with captain Reece James receiving the silverware from Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
However, social media and the international press have been ablaze with claims that the trophy lifted during the celebrations was not the authentic one.
Videos from the post-match ceremony showed Trump lingering on the podium well after the presentation, standing beside James as he hoisted the trophy. This unusual move immediately drew attention.
Now, the intrigue has deepened following Trump’s own remarks in an interview with sports broadcaster DAZN, in which he admitted that the original trophy was currently “in his office at the White House.”
According to sources, Infantino unveiled the redesigned Club World Cup trophy at the White House shortly after Trump returned to office earlier this year, following his election win over Kamala Harris.
It now appears that the original trophy never left the presidential residence, prompting FIFA to commission a replica for the ceremony in New Jersey.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump was also seen pocketing one of the winner’s medals during the event.
Infantino had handed him a medal, presumably for inspection, but the U.S. President was later spotted slipping it inside his blazer.
This led to online jokes among fans, with some suggesting he had taken the medal intended for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who left the squad just before the final to complete a surprise move to Arsenal.
Madueke was reportedly seen partying with Jadon Sancho at the Wireless Festival in London while Chelsea celebrated across the Atlantic.
The incident has cast an odd shadow over what was otherwise a historic moment for Chelsea, marking their first triumph under the new Club World Cup format.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to take place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the final returning to MetLife Stadium, questions may linger over the relationship between football’s global leadership and its most controversial political host.
FIFA has yet to comment officially on the trophy replica claims.
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U.S. President Donald Trump paid homage to soccer great Pele after being met with boos and cheers from the crowd at the Club World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Chelsea walloped Paris St Germain 3-0 to close out the newly expanded version of the tournament, designed as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup that the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada.
Trump was seated next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in box seats at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where fans booed him when he appeared briefly on the jumbotron during the U.S. national anthem.
He was on his feet in the same VIP suite after Chelsea completed their thrashing of Paris St Germain, pumping his fist as congratulatory music blared.
Trump was met with boos from the crowd again as he posed with the match referees on the pitch during the trophy ceremony, as organisers kept the music pumping in the stadium.
He handed Chelsea their trophy and stood in the middle of the players for their team photo and celebration.
“I knew he was going to be there but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy so I was a bit confused,” said Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer, who scored two goals during the match.
Asked in a TV interview who he believed was soccer’s “GOAT,” Trump named Brazilian icon Pele, who helped spark interest in the sport in the U.S. in his brief time playing for the New York Cosmos in the fledgling North American Soccer League in 1975.
“I came to watch Pele, and he was fantastic,” Trump told broadcaster DAZN. “That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pele was so great.”
Trump has embraced sport’s super-sized spotlight during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February.
In May, he announced D.C. as the host for the 2027 NFL Draft from the Oval Office. He regularly attends UFC and has said he wants to host such fights at the White House next year.
FIFA announced last week that it had opened an office in New York’s Trump Tower ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. A record 48 national teams are set to take part.
Trump’s appearance at MetLife came a day after he threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union, an escalation of a trade war that has angered U.S. allies and rattled investors.
-Reuters
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