Football’s world governing body has announced that the United States will host the first expanded Club World Cup in 2025. On the eve of the 2022 World Cup final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the 2025 CWC will include 32 teams from around the globe.
“We are thrilled that the United States has been selected to host the most prestigious club competition in world soccer,” said US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “This adds to the already unprecedented runway of top-tier events in which either our national teams are involved or are taking place in our country, and is yet another opportunity to grow the game here in the United States.”
Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Chelsea have already secured spots in the expanded tournament field to test stadiums and operations the year before the 2026 World Cup as recent Champions League champions. Nine other top European clubs will be invited to the CWC, making it 12 in total.
Six clubs from South America, including the Copa Libertadores champions from 2021 through 2024, four clubs from the North, Central America, and Caribbean confederation, theoretically the respective Champions League champions from 2021 to 2024, four clubs from Africa, four clubs from Asia, based on their individual Champions League champions, one club from Oceania, the highest-ranked club from its 2021–2024 Champions League champions, and one club from the host nation will fill the remaining 20 slots.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Copa America, the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the largest sporting event in history, and the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles, are just a few of the major soccer competitions that will take place in the United States. Additionally, US Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation joined forces to submit a joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.
The FIFA Council unanimously selected the United States to host the new and expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 at a meeting held via video conference from FIFA’s headquarters.
The decision was made because it would enable FIFA to maximize synergies with delivering the FIFA World Cup 2026, benefiting both competitions and the growth of football in the North American region. The United States is a recognized leader in the staging of international events. The next step will be for FIFA to work with the relevant parties to decide on the tournament’s dates, locations, and match schedule.
“The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be the pinnacle of elite professional men’s club football, and with the required infrastructure in place together with a massive local interest, the United States is the ideal host to kick off this new, global tournament,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “With some of the world’s top clubs already qualified, fans from every continent will be bringing their passion and energy to the United States in two years’ time for this significant milestone in our mission to make football truly global.”
The Club World Cup will take place in June-July 2025.
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