Manchester City and Chelsea could earn up to £97 million in prize money as part of a £775m payment fund at this summer’s Club World Cup – with the Premier League competitors set to be among the largest recipients of a £407m pot just for taking part.
Organisers Fifa have worked with the European Club Association (ECA) to agree a deal giving clubs a sliding scale of financial reward based on aspects including the commercial value they bring to the tournament and the level of their global fanbase.
Player welfare considerations and international fixtures at the start of June, including World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, mean that some of the teams’ most high-profile stars are unlikely to be able to take part until the later stages of the restructured finals, which take place in the US from June 14 to July 13.
£368m will be awarded based on performances across a maximum of seven games at the tournament, with clubs receiving the same amount from that fund in win bonuses.
The funding is partly based on a £775m exclusive broadcasting deal agreed with sports streaming service DAZN in December.
A dream come true. 🥹🇧🇷#FIFACWC | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/LQYJUI5W3z
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 25, 2025
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 ‘pinnacle’
FIFA and the ECA are in talks about “substantial solidarity payments” for non-participating clubs, according to sources cited by BBC Sport, which said that similar distributions for clubs in Africa, Asia and the Americas will be finalised at a later date.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has claimed the Club World Cup will be “the pinnacle of club football” and “benefit clubs at large to a scale that no other competition has ever done”.
Infantino has also said that FIFA “will not keep a single dollar” as part of an investment of around £1.8 billion in its Forward Development Programme between 2023 and 2026.
🧤🌟#FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/ob5g5pm9jC
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 24, 2025
How is the FIFA Club World Cup structured?
The structure of the revamped Club World Cup mirrors that of FIFA’s international tournaments.
The 32 teams are split into eight groups of four, with each team playing the others in a round-robin format.
The top two from each group advance to the knockout stages. However, unlike the World Cup, this tournament will not include a third-place play-off. The final is set for July 13, 2025.
🏆🔵#TakeItToTheWorld | #FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/ywnFGjNgll
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 23, 2025
Who is taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup?
Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Chelsea, Club Leon
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg
Jordi. 🩷#FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/pNdigxxRB5
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 21, 2025
Why are Lionel Messi and Inter Miami playing in the FIFA Club World Cup?
A spot in the tournament is reserved for a club from the host nation, and FIFA awarded this place to Inter Miami based on their 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield victory, given to the team with the best regular-season record.
Although Inter Miami were eliminated in the MLS playoffs and are not the league champions, their invitation has sparked debate, with some interpreting it as FIFA’s effort to ensure Lionel Messi’s participation in a tournament that has yet to generate widespread excitement.
🇧🇷🌟 pic.twitter.com/35tu7QRiRR
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 18, 2025
Where will the FIFA Club World Cup matches be played?
The tournament will be held across 12 stadiums in the United States, one year before the nation co-hosts the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. Matches will be played in:
Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Charlotte: TQL Stadium
Cincinnati: Bank of America Stadium
Los Angeles: Rose Bowl Stadium
Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (opening match)
Nashville: GEODIS Park
New Jersey: MetLife Stadium (final match)
Orlando: Camping World Stadium & Inter&Co Stadium
Philadelphia: Lincoln Financial Field
Seattle: Lumen Field
Washington D.C.: Audi Field
90 goals in 158 games in his first four seasons.
Peter Shalulile has been a serial scorer for @Masandawana. 👆⚽️
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) March 16, 2025
Where to watch the FIFA Club World Cup: TV channel, online stream
The streaming platform DAZN has secured exclusive broadcasting rights and will stream all 63 matches for free. There is also the potential for sublicensing to local free-to-air broadcasters.
Why is the FIFA Club World Cup controversial?
FIFA is currently facing legal action from player unions and leagues due to scheduling concerns.
Critics argue that the football calendar is becoming “oversaturated,” raising risks to player safety and well-being.
Some players, such as Liverpool’s Alisson and Manchester City’s Rodri, have openly voiced concerns about the increasing number of matches. The timing of the tournament is another issue, as there are only five weeks between the Club World Cup final and the start of the 2025-26 Premier League season on August 16.
The Club World Cup also partially overlaps with the Women’s Euro 2025, which runs from July 2-27
