Inter Miami to face Al Ahly in 2025 Club World Cup opener
The prestigious global football tournament will see Inter Miami play their first match on June 15, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
KATHMANDU: Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, will play its opening match against Egypt’s Al Ahly in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Despite some criticism over FIFA’s inclusion of host nation teams, Inter Miami has secured its spot.
The prestigious global football tournament will see Inter Miami play their first match on June 15, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The tournament features eight groups of four teams each, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage. In Group A, alongside Inter Miami, are Brazilian club Palmeiras, Portugal’s Porto, and Al Ahly.
Other strong teams appear in different groups. Group B includes Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Atlético Madrid, Brazilian team Botafogo, and MLS’s Seattle Sounders. Group H features Real Madrid, Saudi club Al Hilal, Mexico’s Pachuca, and Austria’s Salzburg.
Top European clubs such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Borussia Dortmund are part of the competition.
Prominent South American teams like Flamengo, River Plate, and Fluminense are also included.
Inter Miami’s selection has been seen as controversial, as the team did not perform exceptionally well in the regular season but earned its place as the host nation’s representative.
Co-owner Jorge Mas stated, “Five years ago, we couldn’t have imagined this opportunity. Our dream of competing with the best clubs in the world is coming true today.”
Groupings:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: PSG, Atlético Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Lyon
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G: Manchester City, Widad, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg
The 2025 Club World Cup will take place from June 15 to July 13, across 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities.
The final match will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will also host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
This competition represents a huge opportunity for Messi and Inter Miami, where they could make history or face the challenge of competing with the world’s best teams.
Football fans worldwide are expected to view this as a gathering of the sport’s top players.
