Star-studded Miami draw could pit Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane against Lionel Messi in unique new tournament
Lionel Messi could reunite with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar after FIFA confirmed the revamped draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The former Paris Saint-Germain trio have all been seeded in different pots for the tournament, as have Chelsea and Manchester City. Infantino will know Messi is a huge ratings drawGetty Messi and Mbappe haven’t faced off since their duel in Qatar when Argentina bested France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final. The superstar pair could now meet a year before the next fight for the Jules Rimet Trophy in the new-look Club World Cup. Messi’s Inter Miami were a controversial inclusion for the competition having been given a ticket as the host club representing the United States – despite not being MLS champions. David Beckham‘s franchise, which will also stage the inaugural match of the tournament in July, have been drawn into the lowly pot four. That could pit Messi and Miami against Neymar’s Al-Hilal and a Real Madrid side spearheaded by Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. The expanded Club World Cup will feature 32 teams in total, but only two of those will be Premier League representatives. Chelsea and Man City booked their spot as a result of winning the Champions League in 2021 and 2023 respectively. However, Enzo Maresca‘s Blues, who have struggled in Europe since that night in Porto, will be languishing in pot two. City meanwhile are reigning champions of the Club World Cup after thrashing Brazilian side Fluminense 4-0 last year. Both teams hold a spot in the top pot, alongside the domestic champions of Spain, France, Brazil, and Argentina. 2025 CLUB WORLD CUP DRAW POTS Pot 1 Manchester City (ENG) Real Madrid (ESP) Bayern Munich (GER) PSG (FRA) Flamengo (BRA) Palmeiras (BRA) River Plate (ARG) Fluminense (BRA) Pot 2 Chelsea (ENG) Dortmund (GER) Inter (ITA) FC Porto (POR) Atletico Madrid (ESP) Benfica (POR) Juventus (ITA) Salzburg (AUT) Pot 3 Al Hilal (SAU) Ulsan HD (KOR) Al Ahly (EGI) Wydad Casablanca (MAR) Monterrey (MEX) Leon (MEX) Boca Juniors (ARG) Botafogo (BRA) Pot 4 Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) Al Ain (UAE) Hope of Tunis (TUN) Mamelodi Sundowns (AFR) Pachuca (MEX) Seattle Sounders (USA) Auckland City (NZL) Inter Miami (USA) Messi may be drawn against his former PSG teammate MbappeAFP The outlier are Bayern Munich, whose unprecedented 11-year run of Bundesliga dominance was ended by Bayer Leverkusen last season. Harry Kane could find himself under mounting pressure to claim his first piece of silverware by any means necessary in the United States. The England captain, famously yet to win a major team trophy, saw Bayern crash out of the DFB-Pokal in his absence. Vincent Kompany‘s side still remains one of the four highest-ranked teams from Europe that will join the equally billed South American continent in pot one. FIFA have confirmed that their ranking system was designed to ‘ensure competitive balance and geographical diversity’. Chelsea headline pot two alongside Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus and Salzburg. Man City won the 2023 Club World Cup, but now the format has changedAFP Maresca is hoping to restore Chelsea as a European forceGetty Pot three consists of the two remaining South American clubs, and the two highest-ranked teams from Asia, Africa, and the North, Central America and Caribbean region. Neymar‘s Al-Hilal are the only Saudi Arabia side featured, with Moroccan, Egyptian, and Mexican teams also included. Messi and Miami are then joined by US rivals Seattle Sounders in pot four with teams from Japan, South Africa, and New Zealand. Operating similarly to its international namesake, the FIFA tournament will be staged every four years from the 2025 edition. The draw for the group stage will be held on Thursday, 5 December 2024 in Miami at 1pm local time – which is 6pm in the UK. The tournament will then start on June 15, and run over 29 days across 12 stadiums in America until the final on July 13.
Lionel Messi could reunite with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar after FIFA confirmed the revamped draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The former Paris Saint-Germain trio have all been seeded in different pots for the tournament, as have Chelsea and Manchester City.
Messi and Mbappe haven’t faced off since their duel in Qatar when Argentina bested France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final.
The superstar pair could now meet a year before the next fight for the Jules Rimet Trophy in the new-look Club World Cup.
Messi’s Inter Miami were a controversial inclusion for the competition having been given a ticket as the host club representing the United States – despite not being MLS champions.
David Beckham‘s franchise, which will also stage the inaugural match of the tournament in July, have been drawn into the lowly pot four.
That could pit Messi and Miami against Neymar’s Al-Hilal and a Real Madrid side spearheaded by Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
The expanded Club World Cup will feature 32 teams in total, but only two of those will be Premier League representatives.
Chelsea and Man City booked their spot as a result of winning the Champions League in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
However, Enzo Maresca‘s Blues, who have struggled in Europe since that night in Porto, will be languishing in pot two.
City meanwhile are reigning champions of the Club World Cup after thrashing Brazilian side Fluminense 4-0 last year.
Both teams hold a spot in the top pot, alongside the domestic champions of Spain, France, Brazil, and Argentina.
2025 CLUB WORLD CUP DRAW POTS
Pot 1
Manchester City (ENG)
Real Madrid (ESP)
Bayern Munich (GER)
PSG (FRA)
Flamengo (BRA)
Palmeiras (BRA)
River Plate (ARG)
Fluminense (BRA)
Pot 2
Chelsea (ENG)
Dortmund (GER)
Inter (ITA)
FC Porto (POR)
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Benfica (POR)
Juventus (ITA)
Salzburg (AUT)
Pot 3
Al Hilal (SAU)
Ulsan HD (KOR)
Al Ahly (EGI)
Wydad Casablanca (MAR)
Monterrey (MEX)
Leon (MEX)
Boca Juniors (ARG)
Botafogo (BRA)
Pot 4
Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)
Al Ain (UAE)
Hope of Tunis (TUN)
Mamelodi Sundowns (AFR)
Pachuca (MEX)
Seattle Sounders (USA)
Auckland City (NZL)
Inter Miami (USA)
The outlier are Bayern Munich, whose unprecedented 11-year run of Bundesliga dominance was ended by Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Harry Kane could find himself under mounting pressure to claim his first piece of silverware by any means necessary in the United States.
The England captain, famously yet to win a major team trophy, saw Bayern crash out of the DFB-Pokal in his absence.
Vincent Kompany‘s side still remains one of the four highest-ranked teams from Europe that will join the equally billed South American continent in pot one.
FIFA have confirmed that their ranking system was designed to ‘ensure competitive balance and geographical diversity’.
Chelsea headline pot two alongside Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus and Salzburg.
Pot three consists of the two remaining South American clubs, and the two highest-ranked teams from Asia, Africa, and the North, Central America and Caribbean region.
Neymar‘s Al-Hilal are the only Saudi Arabia side featured, with Moroccan, Egyptian, and Mexican teams also included.
Messi and Miami are then joined by US rivals Seattle Sounders in pot four with teams from Japan, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Operating similarly to its international namesake, the FIFA tournament will be staged every four years from the 2025 edition.
The draw for the group stage will be held on Thursday, 5 December 2024 in Miami at 1pm local time – which is 6pm in the UK.
The tournament will then start on June 15, and run over 29 days across 12 stadiums in America until the final on July 13.
