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FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw Reactions: Lionel Messi's Inter Miami In Group A; Real Madrid Up Against Al-Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg

The tournament will be held in the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, using 12 stadiums in 11 different cities. The final w෴ill be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey

| Photo: AP/Rebecca Blackwell

Lionel Messi and Inter Miam🧸i now know th🐠eir path for next year’s Club World Cup.

The host team — invited by FIFA to compete despite criticism from many in the soccer world — will play the tournament’s first match on June 15 against Egyptian club Al Ahly, as part of a group that will also feature Palmeiras and Porto. (More Football News)

Other opening matches include Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid and Brazilian club Botafogo playing at Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders in Group B; Monterrey against Inter Milan in Group E; and Real Madrid facing the Saudi club Al-Hilal — potentially a showdown pitting superstars Kylian Mbappé for Real Madrid and Neymar for Al-Hilal if the Braꦡzilian great remains with that club.

“Anytime that you have certain things where soccer is big and you bring it to the U.S., it’s going to be a grea🎀t atmosphere and entertaining,” said baseball great Ken Griffey Jr., part of the Sounders’ ownership group.

His club will get theꦑ chance to play one of the world’s storied teams in PSG during group play.

“🎃I’m going 🤡to leave that one alone,” Griffey said, smiling.

The draw was h💛eld Thursday in Miami, with the 32 teams finally finding out their first three opponents in the newly expanded event.

The tourname༺nt will be held in the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, using𒉰 12 stadiums in 11 different cities. The final will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the same stadium that will play host to the 2026 World Cup final.

Among the powerhouse clubs in the field: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan. There’s also the four highest-ranked teams from Souﷺthဣ America: Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate and Fluminense.

And Messi’s team, as a representative of the host nation, gets the distinction o♕f playing ꦕthe first match. It’ll happen at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

“It’s about inclusivity, it’s about bringing clubs from all over the world, the 32 best clubs and best players from all over the world together,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

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Some would argue it’s not the 32 “best” clubs. Inter Miami’s selection ꧒was widely panned by critics, the volume of that only rising after the team that won the Supporters Shield as the best MLS team in the regular season — with a record-setting point total — lost in Round 1 of the MLS Cup playoffs.

“There’s no controversy,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said.

Major League Soccer got two teams: Seattle and Inter Miami. The Sounders qualified for the field, and Inter Miami was placed in🌠to it as the host nation’s represeಌntative.

The🔴 club competition uses the traditional 32-team format used by the World Cup from 1998 to 2022. Eight round-robin groups 𒊎of four teams each were drawn Thursday, with the top two from each group advancing to a knockout bracket of 16.

Europe got 12 spots and South America six to lead the field, while Africa, As💫ia and North America all go🐠t four — with Inter Miami essentially a fifth from North America since it has host status. Oceania got one spot.

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“There is no rule that said the MLS Cup winner needs to be in the Club World Cup,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “I have no interest in anything other than what I think is going to be best♌ for the showcase, best for our league. I am supportive of the decision that FI🌌FA made and I’m excited to put Miami and Seattle in a global media deal and be shown around the world.”

Mas✅ said Inter Mia𒊎mi getting the privilege of playing the opening match of the tournament at home is “a testament to our community, the soccer culture that’s here.”

“Who would have told us five years ago, with no club, that we’d be here today at a draw with the best teams in the wꦇorld,” Mas said. “That’s what we aspire to. That’s what we dream of.”

The groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris 🍃Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

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Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica♏.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River ♐Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group ꧂F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mame🅰lodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad﷽, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al-Hilal, Pachuca, S🐲alzburg.

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