Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) dribbles during the first half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is approaching, with the 32-team tournament featuring some of the biggest club teams in global soccer.

The new format for the Club World Cup includes a major expansion, with the old version of the event featuring just seven teams in most editions. Now, though, the event will feature group-stage play akin to what most fans will recognize from the men's and women's World Cups.

The path through the bracket will be tough for MLS's representatives. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have a viable path out of their group, and LAFC (the final entrants to qualify) could do the same, but both will be up against it unless multiple European giants fall in the first round. The Seattle Sounders, meanwhile, will face newly-crowned Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in what is arguably the hardest group in the tournament.

Here is a complete bracket for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, including the schedule, groups, and a list of participating teams:

Club World Cup 2025 bracket, schedule

The 32 teams in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup have been placed into eight groups of four, with a round-robin group stage serving as the tournament's first round. Here are the eight groups:

Group A

Teams: Al Ahly (Egypt), Porto (Portugal), Palmeiras (Brazil), Inter Miami (United States)

  • June 14: Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami
  • June 15: Palmeiras vs. Porto
  • June 19: Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly
  • June 19: Inter Miami vs. Porto
  • June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras
  • June 23: Porto vs. Al Ahly

Group B

Teams: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Seattle Sounders (United States)

  • June 15: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid
  • June 15: Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders
  • June 19: Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid
  • June 19: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo
  • June 23: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain
  • June 23: Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo

Group C

Teams: Bayern Munich (Germany), Auckland City (New Zealand), Boca Juniors (Argentina), Benfica (Portugal)

  • June 15: Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City
  • June 16: Boca Juniors vs. Benfica
  • June 20: Benfica vs. Auckland City
  • June 20: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors
  • June 24: Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors
  • June 24: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich

Group D

Teams: Flamengo (Brazil), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Chelsea (England), LAFC (United States)

  • June 16: Chelsea vs. LAFC
  • June 16: Flamengo vs. Espérance Sportive de Tunis
  • June 20: Flamengo vs. Chelsea
  • June 20: LAFC vs. Espérance Sportive de Tunis
  • June 24: LAFC vs. Flamengo
  • June 24: Espérance Sportive de Tunis vs. Chelsea

Group E

Teams: River Plate (Argentina), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Monterrey (Mexico), Inter Milan (Italy)

  • June 17: River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
  • June 17: Monterrey vs. Inter Milan
  • June 21: Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
  • June 21: River Plate vs. Monterrey
  • June 25: Inter Milan vs. River Plate
  • June 25: Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey

Group F

Teams: Fluminense (Brazil), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Ulsan HD (Korea Republic), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

  • June 17: Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund
  • June 17: Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns
  • June 21: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund
  • June 21: Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD
  • June 25: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD
  • June 25: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense

Group G

Teams: Manchester City (England), Wydad AC (Morocco), Al Ain (United Arab Emirates), Juventus (Italy)

  • June 18: Manchester City vs. Wydad AC
  • June 18: Al Ain vs. Juventus
  • June 22: Juventus vs. Wydad AC
  • June 22: Manchester City vs. Al Ain
  • June 26: Juventus vs. Manchester City
  • June 26: Wydad AC vs. Al Ain

Group H

Teams: Real Madrid (Spain), Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Pachuca (Mexico), Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)

  • June 18: Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal
  • June 18: Pachuca vs. Red Bull Salzburg
  • June 22: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca
  • June 22: Red Bull Salzburg vs. Al-Hilal
  • June 26: Al-Hilal vs. Pachuca
  • June 26: Red Bull Salzburg vs. Real Madrid

Round of 16

  • June 28: Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up (Match 49)
  • June 28: Group C winner vs. Group D runner-up (Match 50)
  • June 29: Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up (Match 51)
  • June 29: Group D winner vs. Group C runner-up (Match 52)
  • June 30: Group E winner vs. Group F runner-up (Match 53)
  • June 30: Group G winner vs. Group H runner-up (Match 54)
  • July 1: Group F winner vs. Group E runner-up (Match 55)
  • July 1: Group H winner vs. Group G runner-up (Match 56)

Quarterfinals

  • July 4: Match 49 winner vs. Match 50 winner (Match 57)
  • July 4: Match 53 winner vs. Match 54 winner (Match 58)
  • July 5: Match 51 winner vs. Match 52 winner (Match 59)
  • July 5: Match 55 winner vs. Match 56 winner (Match 60)

Semifinals

  • July 8: Match 57 winner vs. Match 58 winner (Match 61)
  • July 9: Match 59 winner vs. Match 60 winner (Match 62)

Final

  • July 13: Match 61 winner vs. Match 62 winner

How does Club World Cup bracket work?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will work through a bracket familiar to any fan of international soccer.

Much like the World Cup for national teams, the Club World Cup will start with a group stage, with the 32 participants divided into eight groups of four. Those groups will operate on a round-robin basis, with a given team playing the other members of the group once, and the top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout round.

That will leave 16 teams standing, and from there it's pretty simple: winners advance, losers go home. The knockout stages will progress from a round of 16 to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the tournament final on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

When does the FIFA Club World Cup start?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will run from June 14 to July 13 at locations spread throughout the United States.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are set play in the opening match, which will see the MLS contenders take on Egyptian club Al-Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, at 8 p.m. ET. The tournament final is scheduled to be held on July 13 at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here is a schedule of each stage of the tournament:

  • Group stage: June 14-26
  • Round of 16: June 28-July 1
  • Quarterfinals: July 4-5
  • Semifinals: July 8-9
  • Final: July 13

Club World Cup 2025: How to watch, TV, streaming

Every one of the 63 games at the Club World Cup will stream for free on DAZN, while select matches will be carried on TNT in English.

Univision, TUDN, and ViX will all carry games in the U.S. in Spanish.

Watch the entire Club World Cup FREE on DAZN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FIFA Club World Cup bracket: Schedule, groups for 2025 tournament

Reporting by Jason Anderson, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect