MIAMI: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will open the Club World Cup against Egyptian club Al-Ahly, with Palmeiras and Porto also part of that group for the tournament that will take place in the US next year.
Real Madrid will face the Saudi club Al-Hilal in Group H — a showdown of superstars, with Kylian Mbappé for Real Madrid and Neymar for Al-Hilal.
The draw was held Thursday in Miami, with the 32 teams finally finding out their first three opponents in the newly expanded event.
Emirati club Al-Ain and Morocco’s Wydad AC will face English Premier League powerhouse Manchester City and Juventus in Group G.
The tournament will be held in the US from Jun. 15 to Jul. 13, using 12 stadiums in 11 different cities. The final will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the same stadium that will play host to the 2026 World Cup final.
Among the powerhouse clubs in the field are: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.
There’re also the four highest-ranked teams from South America: Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate and Fluminense.
And Messi’s team, as a representative of the host nation, get the distinction of playing the first match. It’ll happen at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“It’s about inclusivity, it’s about bringing clubs from all over the world, the 32 best clubs and best players from all over the world together,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.
Some would argue it’s not the 32 “best” clubs. Inter Miami’s selection was widely panned by critics, the volume of that only rising after the team that won the Supporters Shield as the best MLS team in the regular season — with a record-setting point total — lost in Round 1 of the MLS Cup playoffs.
“There’s no controversy,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said.
Major League Soccer got two teams: Seattle and Inter Miami. The Sounders qualified for the field, and Inter Miami was placed into it as the host nation’s representative.
Other opening matchups include: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid and Brazilian club Botafogo playing at Seattle in Group B, Monterrey against Inter Milan in Group E, and Real Madrid facing Al-Hilal in Group H.
The club competition uses the traditional 32-team format used by the World Cup from 1998 to 2022. Eight round-robin groups of four teams each were drawn Thursday, with the top two from each group advancing to a knockout bracket of 16.
Europe got 12 spots and South America six to lead the field, while Africa, Asia and North America all got four — with Inter Miami essentially a fifth from North America since it has host status. Oceania got one spot.
“There is no rule that said the MLS Cup winner needs to be in the Club World Cup,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “I have no interest in anything other than what I think is going to be best for the showcase, best for our league. I am supportive of the decision that FIFA made and I’m excited to put Miami and Seattle in a global media deal and be shown around the world.”
Mas said Inter Miami getting the privilege of playing the opening match of the tournament at home is “a testament to our community, the soccer culture that’s here.”
“Who would have told us five years ago, with no club, that we’d be here today at a draw with the best teams in the world,” Mas said. “That’s what we aspire to. That’s what we dream of.”
The groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, 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.
