With the FIFA World Cup just a year and a half away now, US soccer fans are getting very excited about the best players in the world coming together to battle it out for the most prestigious trophy in the sport – and all in their own backyards. Qualification is still ongoing but, with an expanded format, the vast majority of superstar athletes will be in attendance.
But there is another competition going on this year that even the most passionate soccer fans might be a little unsure of. The Club World Cup is scheduled to take place in the US during June and July of this year and will be treated as a curtain-raiser for the international event in 2026. Fans of the competing teams will arrive in their thousands and the media and all good betting websites will be gearing up to cover the tournament.
All of this is very exciting but what exactly is the Club World Cup? Fans are familiar with the World Cup, the various Champions League events around the world, and our own domestic competitions – but this tournament may have passed some of them by. Read on to find out everything you need to know about this prestigious event.
It’s Not New
The first thing that should be said about the FIFA Club World Cup is that it is not new. This may be the first time many people have taken notice of the event but this year’s tournament will actually be the 21st edition. There have been a number of different incarnations but the first Club World Cup took place in 2000.
The Intercontinental Cup was probably its most well-known predecessor, bringing together the champions of Europe and South America to determine a number one team. That was all very well when those two regions were far better than anywhere else but times change. Since 2005, the competition has been held every year and invited champions from all of FIFA’s confederations. Europe has dominated for over a decade now and the best from that continent will be the favorites going into this year’s tournament as well.
Expansion Excitement
A very notable aspect of this year’s Club World Cup is that the field has expanded. Whereas the competition has seen seven teams from across the world take part for a while now, the 2025 version will be battled out between 32 teams. All six confederations will be represented by multiple clubs.

FIFA has largely looked to continental champions from the last few years to populate this new version of the event. That means that former Champions League winners like Chelsea and Manchester City have qualified, while others are included through a ranking system. Twelve in all will come from Europe, with six from South America, four from Asia, Africa, and North America, and a sole participant from Oceania.
US Cities Getting Ready
Although World Cup 2026 will see games being played in Canada and Mexico as well as in the US, the Club World Cup is a solely American affair. In past editions, FIFA has used this competition as a test as far as some of the stadiums go, allowing host cities to get ready for the larger international event a year later.
However, this time there will be a number of host cities that will see Club World Cup games but not World Cup fixtures. Charlotte, Orlando, Nashville, and Cincinnati all have strong soccer traditions and have been chosen for the 2025 tournament. Some of the clubs competing are unlikely to attract the sort of crowds expected for the World Cup, so some of these smaller venues could be ideal.
Lionel Messi
When it comes to soccer in the US, there are not many conversations that don’t include Lionel Messi. Since the Argentinian international – and arguably the best player in the world – joined Inter Miami of MLS a few years ago, the spotlight has been on the club and the nation as a whole as it attempts to make the step up to the top tier of the sport.
But the inclusion of Messi’s Inter Miami team in this year’s Club World Cup has attracted some criticism. This tournament has always been for the champions of continents and Miami did win the Supporters’ Shield last year. That’s not the same as the MLS Cup – awarded to the championship team – though some fans have complained that Inter Miami has only been included by FIFA to be able to market the event through the popularity of Lionel Messi.
Controversy
The presence of Inter Miami has not been the only controversy attached to the expanded Club World Cup, however. Scheduled at the end of the standard FIFA season, player unions have criticized the event for overloading their members with even more fixtures after a busy domestic season.

Player welfare is a concern, as traditionally this tournament has only asked teams to play a maximum of two or three games. With an expanded format, there is a group stage and knockout rounds for the best teams to navigate.
Figure 2 Lionel Messi will have the chance to win yet another trophy – Source: Unsplash
Plans for the Future
The all-new looking Club World Cup is undoubtedly a good chance for US soccer fans to watch some of the best players – and teams – in the world play in a way that has not been possible before. A lot may be riding on the popularity of this year’s event, however.
FIFA is keen to wrestle some power back from the biggest clubs and offer an alternative to the Super Leagues we have seen proposed in the last few years. This tournament promises to be an exciting occasion – but it is also the latest power move in the world of elite soccer.