MetLife Stadium – already selected to host the final of the FIFA 2026 World Cup – will be at the center of the global soccer universe in 2025, too, as it was selected to host both semifinals and the final of the first FIFA Club World Cup, it was announced this weekend.
In total, MetLife will host nine games of the 32-team tourney, including one of the four quarterfinal matches and five group-round matches.
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia will host eight games, including a quarterfinal (on the Fourth of July) and a round-of-16 match.
The large number of matches in East Rutherford and Philadelphia means the area will host a match on nearly every match day of the 30-day event. The tournament opens on June 14 in Miami, when Inter Miami (featuring Lionel Messi) will meet Al Ahly of Saudi Arabia.
- The schedule at MetLife:
- June 15 (Sunday): SE Palmeiras vs FC Porto
- June 17 (Tuesday): Fluminense FC vs Borussia Dortmund
- June 19 (Thursday): SE Palmeiras vs Al Ahly FC
- June 21 (Saturday): Fluminense FC vs Ulsan HD
- June 23 (Monday): FC Porto vs AL Ahly FC
- July 5 (Saturday): Quarterfinal
- July 8 (Tuesday): Semifinal
- July 9 (Wednesday): Semifinal
- July 13 (Sunday): Final
While MetLife will get the biggest games, it will not necessarily host the most noteworthy clubs in the group stage. Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia will. Its lineup of games includes matches featuring Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus and Real Madrid.
The schedule at Lincoln Financial Field:
- June 16 (Monday): Flamengo vs. Espérance
- June 18 (Wednesday): Manchester City vs. Wydad
- June 20 (Friday): Flamengo vs. Chelsea
- June 22 (Sunday): Juventus vs. Wydad
- June 24 (Tuesday): Espérance vs. Chelsea
- June 26 (Thursday): RB Salzburg vs. Real Madrid
- June 28 (Saturday): Round of 16 (A winner vs. B runner-up)
- July 4 (Friday): Quarterfinal
The Club World Cup is FIFA’s first effort at a global tournament featuring club teams rather than national teams. Think of the Yankees or Dodgers playing teams from baseball leagues in Japan, Korea and Mexico.
In this tournament, Inter Milan and the Seattle Sounders will represent the U.S./MLS.
The impact of the event in New Jersey could be far greater than the results – as it will serve as an organizational warmup for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a huge fan and supporter of global soccer, has said both tournaments will give MetLife Stadium more chances to show it is a worthy host of more international tournament and league games – not just friendlys.
Those hoping to see Messi in a group-match game will have to travel, as Inter Milan will play in two group matches in Miami and one in Atlanta.
Those hoping to see the three clubs from Mexico in group matches will have to travel, too.
- León will play games in Atlanta, Nashville and Orlando;
- Pachuca will play games in Cincinnati, Charlotte and Nashville;
- Monterrey will play all three of its games in Pasadena, California.
Here’s a look at the 32-team field and the complete schedule:
The clubs
GROUP A
1. Palmeiras (Brazil)
2. Porto (Portugal)
3. Al Ahly (Egypt)
4. Inter Miami (U.S.)
GROUP B
1. PSG (France)
2. Atlético Madrid (Spain)
3. Botafogo (Brazil)
4. Seattle Sounders (U.S.)
GROUP C
1. Bayern Munich (Germany)
2. Auckland City (New Zealand)
3. Boca Juniors (Argentina)
4. Benfica (Portugal)
GROUP D
1. Flamengo (Brazil)
2. Espérance (Tunisia)
3. Chelsea (England)
4. León (Mexico)
GROUP E
1. River Plate (Argentina)
2. Urawa Reds (Japan)
3. Monterrey (Mexico)
4. Inter Milan (Italy)
GROUP F
1. Fluminense (Brazil)
2. Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
3. Ulsan (South Korea)
4. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
GROUP G
1. Manchester City (England)
2. Wydad (Morocco)
3. Al Ain (UAE)
4. Juventus (Italy)
GROUP H
1. Real Madrid (Spain)
2. Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
3. Pachuca (Mexico)
4. RB Salzburg (Austria)
The schedule
Saturday, June 14
8 p.m.: Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Sunday, June 15
Noon: Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
3 p.m.: PSG vs. Atlético Madrid — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
6 p.m.: Palmeiras vs. Porto — MetLife Stadium
10 p.m.: Seattle Sounders vs. Botafogo — Lumen Field (Seattle)
Monday, June 16
3 p.m.: Chelsea vs. León — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
6 p.m.: Boca Juniors vs. Benfica — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
9 p.m.: Flamengo vs. Espérance — Lincoln Financial Field
Tuesday, June 17
Noon: Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund — MetLife Stadium
3 p.m.: River Plate vs. Urawa Reds — Lumen Field (Seattle)
6 p.m.: Ulsan vs. Mamelodi Sundowns — Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
9 p.m.: Monterrey vs. Inter Milan — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Wednesday, June 18
Noon: Manchester City vs. Wydad — Lincoln Financial Field
3 p.m.: Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
6 p.m.: Pachuca vs. RB Salzburg — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
9 p.m.: Al Ain vs. Juventus — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Thursday, June 19
Noon: Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly — MetLife Stadium
3 p.m.: Inter Miami vs. Porto — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
6 p.m.: Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid — Lumen Field (Seattle)
9 p.m.: PSG vs. Botafogo — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Friday, June 20
Noon: Benfica vs. Auckland City — Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
2 p.m.: Flamengo vs. Chelsea — Lincoln Financial Field
6 p.m.: León vs. Espérance — GEODIS Park (Nashville)
9 p.m.: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Saturday, June 21
Noon: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
3 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. Urawa Reds — Lumen Field (Seattle)
6 p.m.: Fluminense vs. Ulsan — MetLife Stadium
9 p.m.: River Plate vs. Monterrey — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Sunday, June 22
Noon: Juventus vs. Wydad — Lincoln Financial Field
3 p.m.: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
6 p.m.: RB Salzburg vs. Al Hilal — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
9 p.m.: Manchester City vs. Al Ain — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Monday, June 23
3 p.m.: Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
3 p.m.: Seattle Sounders vs. PSG — Lumen Field (Seattle)
9 p.m.: Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
9 p.m.: Porto vs. Al Ahly — MetLife Stadium
Tuesday, June 24
3 p.m.: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
3 p.m.: Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors — GEODIS Park (Nashville)
9 p.m.: León vs. Flamengo — Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
9 p.m.: Espérance vs. Chelsea — Lincoln Financial Field
Wednesday, June 25
3 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
3 p.m.: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
9 p.m.: Urawa Reds vs. Monterrey — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
9 p.m.: Inter Milan vs. River Plate — Lumen Field (Seattle)
Thursday, June 26
3 p.m.: Juventus vs. Manchester City — Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
3 p.m.: Wydad vs. Al Ain — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
9 p.m.: Al Hilal vs. Pachuca — GEODIS Park (Nashville)
9 p.m.: RB Salzburg vs. Real Madrid — Lincoln Financial Field
Saturday, June 28: Round of 16
Noon: A winner vs. B runner-up — Lincoln Financial Field
4 p.m.: C winner vs. D runner-up — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
Sunday, June 29: Round of 16
Noon: B winner vs. A runner-up — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
4 p.m.: D winner vs. C runner-up — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Monday, June 30: Round of 16
3 p.m.: E winner vs. F runner-up — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
9 p.m.: G winner vs. H runner-up — Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
Tuesday, July 1: Round of 16
3 p.m.: H winner vs. G runner-up — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
9 p.m.: F winner vs. E runner-up — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Wednesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 3
Rest days.
Friday, July 4 — Quarterfinals
3 p.m.: 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H — Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
9 p.m.: 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D — Lincoln Financial Field
Saturday, July 5 — Quarterfinals
Noon: 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
4 p.m.: 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G — MetLife Stadium
Sunday, July 6 and Monday, July 7
Rest days.
Tuesday, July 8 — Semifinals
3 p.m.: 1A/2B/1C/2D vs. 1E/2F/1G/2H — MetLife Stadium
Wednesday, July 9 — Semifinals
3 p.m.: 1B/2A/1D/2C vs. 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D — MetLife Stadium
Thursday, July 10 – Saturday, July 12
Rest days.
Sunday, July 13 — Final
3 p.m.: Final — MetLife Stadium
