New Jersey: FIFA has revealed the venues for the 2025 Club World Cup, with New Jersey selected to host the highly anticipated final. This edition of the tournament will mark a significant expansion, featuring 32 teams competing for the prestigious title. FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed the lineup of venues for the revamped tournament.
The expanded tournament, showcasing top clubs from around the globe, will take place across the United States from June 15 to July 13. A total of 12 venues will be utilized for the tournament, with only two located on the West Coast: The Rose Bowl in Pasadena near Los Angeles and Lumen Field in Seattle.
Metlife Stadium, the open-air stadium chosen for the final, was opened in 2010 and has a capacity of 82,500, previously hosted the Copa America Centenario final in 2016. Additionally, it is set to host the FIFA World Cup final in 2026.
The tournament is taking place at the same time as the regional CONCACAF Gold Cup which will be held mainly on the West Coast.
The other venues selected to host matches include Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, GEODIS Park in Nashville, Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Audi Field in Washington, DC.
The Club World Cup will feature title-winning teams from each of FIFA’s continental confederations. The draw for the tournament will be held in December, with 30 of the 32 places already secured through the qualification procedure.
Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are among the 12 European teams who have qualified for the tournament while Argentina’s River Plate and Boca Juniors and Brazil’s Flamengo are among six South American teams.
Infantino said that, “This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup which will impact enormously the growth of club football and talent globally.”
The tournament will be viewed as a key test ahead of the World Cup 2026.
The last version of the Club World Cup featured seven teams in a knockout format and was won by Manchester City who beat Brazil’s Fluminense in the final in Saudi Arabia.
FIFA plans to hold the expanded tournament every four years, although no host has yet been chosen for the 2029 edition. With the announcement of the venues, excitement builds as soccer fans worldwide prepare for what promises to be a landmark event in the sport’s history.
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