Fifa pick United States to host expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025

Real Madrid, Man City and Chelsea have already earned places for tournament, which will test stadiums and operations one year before 2026 World Cup

Fifa has long wanted to ditch annual seven-team format for continental champions, and stage a full-sized tournament every four years

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Real Madrid’s players celebrate with the trophy at the end of the Fifa Club World Cup final on February 11, 2023. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:30pm, 24 Jun 2023

The United States will host the Club World Cup in 2025, the first time the Fifa tournament will have 32 teams.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea already earned places as recent Champions League winners for the expanded tournament lineup that is set to test stadiums and operations one year before the 2026 World Cup.

The United States will host the men’s World Cup with Canada and Mexico, and Fifa could yet give some Club World Cup games to those countries.

The Club World Cup will take place in June-July 2025. The United States was chosen as the host on Friday during an online meeting of the Fifa Council.

Fifa praised “the United States’ position as a proven leader in staging global events and because it would allow Fifa to maximise synergies with the delivery” of the 2026 tournament.

The Club World Cup trophy before the 2019 final in Qatar. Photo: Reuters

The Seattle Sounders have also qualified for the Club World Cup as the 2022 champions of North American football region CONCACAF. The Americans should get another entry as the host nation.