Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday.

Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar.

Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, will take on Palmeiras in New York, where more of their fans are expected to turn up.

No incidents were reported at the game after around 1,000 protesters gathered in the morning near U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, about 70 miles (110 km) north of Miami, waving placards and chanting slogans as part of coordinated nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations.

In Miami, 60,927 fans almost filled the 65,000-capacity stadium for Inter Miami’s clash with Al-Ahly dismissing, at least on the night, concerns about the attractiveness of the tournament featuring 32 teams for the first time, a year before the World Cup in the U.S.

Inter Miami, whose home attendances average 20,663 in their 21,550-seat Chase Stadium, have been a major road draw in 2025, regularly attracting record crowds across the country since Messi’s arrival in 2023.

Adan De La Rosa travelled from Mexico just to see Messi play. “There’s a lot of excitement to see Messi, it’s the same for everyone,” he said.

Al-Ahly, backed by dozens of thousands of fans, got off to a strong start but wasted two early chances and Oscar Ustari parried away Trezeguet’s poorly taken penalty kick after Zizo was fouled in the box by Telasco Segovia.

Messi threatened at times after spending some time on the ground after being hit on the knee, but Miami could feel lucky not to be behind at halftime.

Miami, however, stepped up a gear after the break, and Messi came close when his nicely curled 25-metre free kick kissed the post and hit the side netting.

With six minutes left, the World Cup winner scooped a perfect cross for Fafa Picault, whose header was tipped over the bar by Mohamed Elshenawy.

He came an inch close in the dying second when his curled strike from outside the box was tipped onto the bar by Elshenawy.

The Club World Cup continues on Sunday with Champions League winners Paris St Germain taking on Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich playing Auckland City.

–Reuters

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Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano was upbeat despite his Lionel Messi-led team drawing 0-0 with Egyptian side Al Ahly on June 14, as FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.

Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped onto the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the game.

“The truth is we leave with the feeling that we could have won it in the second half,” said Mascherano.

“Going forward we have to do what we did in the second half, not have any fear, shed whatever baggage we had because when we play like that, we can play even with any team.”

Al Ahly, who were cheered on by over 10,000 of their supporters, were left to rue a first-half penalty from Egypt international Trezeguet which was saved by Miami’s Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari.

But the Egyptians also had El Shenawy to thank for another fine save in the dying seconds to keep out a header from Maxi Falcon as Miami pushed for three points in the Group A clash.

For organisers FIFA, who have faced heavy skepticism over the necessity for the tournament, the absence of a goal was the only disappointment on a night that delivered everything else that their president Gianni Infantino had hoped for from the opening night.

Fears of a low crowd for the opener eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up with the stadium almost full at kick-off time.

Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12 times African Champions League winner and 45-time league champions of Egypt, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium well ahead of kick-off and made their presence felt with singing and chanting.

The stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, witnessed chaotic scenes last year at the final of the Copa America between Argentina and Colombia where fans broke into the ground after long delays to enter.

But there was an efficient filter system set up for ticket and security checks well away from the stadium perimeter and there were no signs of any problems.

Nor was there any indication of the controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants from US President Donald Trump’s administration having any impact on the game in the heavily Hispanic South Florida community.

While there were no goals to celebrate, the game was far from boring with Al Ahly enjoying the better of the first half before Miami improved significantly after the break.

Messi went close in the 64th minute with a free kick which grazed the post before hitting the side-netting, tricking part of the crowd into thinking he had scored.

He nearly did in stoppage time, after a well-worked short-corner but the outstretched finger tip of El Shenawy was to deny him.

Miami face Porto in Atlanta on June 19 before returning home to face Brazil’s Palmeiras on June 23.

Al Ahly’s Spanish coach Jose Riveiro, who only took charge of the team for this tournament, said his team should have finished the game off in the first half.

“It’s a game of mistakes. We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game in a different space,” he said before praising the team’s fans.

“It was like we were playing in Cairo and that was a surprise for me in my first official match with Al Ahly. To be here in the States and have it like you were playing at home is something that can probably only happen in this club.”

-AFP

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After securing their return to the Champions League on the final day of the season, Chelsea have an early chance to show that they belong back among the elite this summer at the Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca’s side beat Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League match to clinch fourth place after an inconsistent campaign, ending a two-season absence from Europe’s top competition.

The Blues, who reached FIFA’s revamped and expanded Club World Cup by landing a second Champions League triumph in 2021, have been handed a favourable opening raft of fixtures in the United States.

They begin their campaign in Group D on June 16 against Los Angeles FC, who battled through a play-off round against Club America to replace the disqualified Club Leon.

After that opening fixture in Atlanta, Chelsea head north to face Brazilian team Flamengo (June 20) and Tunisia’s Esperance (June 24), both in Philadelphia.

“We face formations from distant countries, with which there is no relationship (with us) like the other Premier teams or in Europe,” Maresca said.

“We prepare ourselves by trying to watch as many matches as possible of the opponents, analysing them in the smallest detail.

“We will play in America, in different stadiums and environments – it’s all a novelty, not only for us, it’s a new competition and anything can happen.”

Los Angeles boast former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, although the 38-year-old is not a regular starter.

Flamengo, who qualified by lifting the Copa Libertadores in 2022, are coached by well-regarded former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.

Esperance have won eight of the last nine Tunisian league titles but are considered the weakest team in the group.

In the knock-out rounds, potential clashes against Bayern Munich and Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain may lie ahead.

Chelsea won the competition in its previous format in 2022, beating Brazil’s Palmeiras in the final.

There will be special interest in how new Chelsea signing Liam Delap fares after his recent move from relegated Ipswich Town.

The Blues beat Manchester United among other clubs in the race for the 22-year-old striker, who netted 12 times in 37 top-flight matches and moved for £30 million (S$52 million).

Chelsea lacked firepower up front this season with Nicolas Jackson inconsistent and Christopher Nkunku struggling badly for form.

Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, came through the Manchester City youth academy like Chelsea’s star player, Cole Palmer.

The England international’s revival towards the end of the season is a positive sign, with Palmer dazzling in the Conference League final win over Real Betis.

The 23-year-old missed Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the US last summer and Maresca said it was a chance for the playmaker to take the country by storm.

“Palmer is up there with the very best top players who can produce something at any moment, create something out of nothing,” said the coach.

“He wasn’t with me on the USA tour last summer, so it will also be a chance for him to experience the environment there and to introduce himself to North America.”

Beating Betis in Poland earned Maresca his first trophy as Chelsea manager and a deep run in the US would be another sign that the Blues are heading in the right direction.

Summer success is also important to the club’s co-owners, US businessman Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital, with nearly £100 million on the line for the winners.

While not among the set of top favourites, including English rivals City, 15-time European champions Real Madrid and PSG, Chelsea are still expected to reach the last eight.

With fans not fully sold on Maresca’s brand of possession football, and even Palmer saying he was “sick” of the ball going from side to side in the Conference League final, another trophy could help soothe any tension in south-west London.

-AFP

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