FIFA Announces 12 U.S. Stadiums as Hosts for 2025 Club World Cup

FIFA has officially selected 12 U.S. stadiums to host the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in 2025. The tournament will run from June 15 to July 13, 2025, marking the first edition of the newly expanded competition.

The final will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just five miles from New York City. The other selected venues are:

• Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

• TQL Stadium, Cincinnati

• Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

• Geodis Park, Nashville

• Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

• Camping World Stadium, Orlando

• Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando

• Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles

• Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

• Lumen Field, Seattle

• Audi Field, Washington DC

Qualified Teams and Format

Chelsea, Manchester City, and Real Madrid have secured automatic qualification from Europe, having won the Champions League over the past four years. Other European giants like Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, and Benfica will join them based on UEFA's co-efficient rankings.

In addition to the eight European teams, six clubs from South America, 12 teams from Asia, Africa, and North America, one team from Oceania, and a club from the U.S. as the host nation will complete the tournament lineup.

Previously, the Club World Cup was an annual tournament featuring six continental champions. This revamped format is set to elevate global club football, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino describing it as "the greatest, most inclusive, and merit-based global club competition."

Criticism and Opposition

FIFA’s decision to expand the competition has faced criticism from clubs and players, especially in light of UEFA’s expansion of the Champions League and Europa League, which now include additional group stage matches.

Global players' union FIFPRO and the European Leagues body, representing 1,130 clubs across 33 countries, filed a complaint with the European Commission in July 2023, accusing FIFA of an "abuse of dominance" in football. FIFA has rejected these claims, stating that key stakeholders were consulted during the planning process.

Concerns about player welfare have also been raised, with Manchester City midfielder Rodri warning that congested fixture lists are pushing players to the brink of striking.