The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is off and running, with four strong days of fun and drama already in the books. Let’s get you caught up with what you missed and what’s ahead today and tomorrow.
Check in with ESPN as we bring you the latest news and analysis, all the way up to the tournament final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.
The lead: Dortmund clearly second best as Fluminense show they’re here to play
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Some of the talk around the Club World Cup has been about the possibility of European teams sweeping all before them and turning the knockout rounds into the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League. But against Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense showed that such narratives might be wide of the mark.
The Brazilian side — beaten Club World Cup finalists in 2023 — were the better team on Tuesday at a rainy MetLife Stadium and were unfortunate to come away from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with just a point after a 0-0 draw. Despite having less of the ball, Fluminense peppered eventual “Superior Player Award” winner Gregor Kobel with 14 shots, forcing five saves in a relentless performance.
Afterward, Dortmund boss Niko Kovac referenced the pitch and the humidity as reasons his players found it difficult. “The pitch isn’t so easy for us. I think the humidity also wasn’t so easy for all the players, although the Brazilians are more used to it,” he said. “It was hard for us, we were running a lot, but overall we can live with a point.”
In reality, Fluminense were just better and would have won but for a stunning double save from Kobel in the second half. After Dortmund failed to credibly clear a looping, outswinging corner, Kobel did brilliantly to get down low and parry Everaldo’s curling shot from the edge of the box, recovering in time to spread out and block Nonato’s follow-up shot from the rebound at close range.
Jobe Bellingham made his debut for Dortmund, putting in a breezy half-hour cameo as a second half substitute, but it was in many ways a fortunate escape for the Bundesliga side to emerge with a clean sheet and a draw ahead of arguably easier matches, with relative minnows Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns still to come in Group F.
One factor which maybe helped Fluminense is the timing of the tournament. They’re 11 games into their domestic season, while Dortmund are coming off a tough campaign that saw them play 50 matches. It’s perhaps no wonder that Fluminense looked fitter and fresher. — Rob Dawson
Today’s top Club World Cup news
• Mbappe (illness) misses Real Madrid training
• Chelsea’s Lavia ‘confident’ injuries are behind him
• LaLiga president wants Club World Cup ‘eliminated’
Sights and sounds around FIFA Club World Cup
Alba’s return to training a major boost for Inter Miami
MIAMI — Inter Miami will continue to navigate the Club World Cup group stage with a weakened roster as Yannick Bright, David Ruiz and Allen Obando trained separately from the group in the days leading up to the match against FC Porto in Atlanta. Bright and Ruiz failed to make the matchday roster for the team’s inaugural Club World Cup game against Al Ahly, while Obando watched from the bench as Miami drew 0-0.
There is good news for head coach Javier Mascherano and Inter Miami fans, as Jordi Alba returned to training for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in the MLS match against CF Montreal on May 28. The former Barcelona player left the pitch in the 24th minute of that game and has been absent since, leaving the backline vulnerable.
Mascherano will address the media Wednesday before kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 19 and confirm whether the player is ready to feature, but his return to the training ground bodes well. Alba’s inclusion in the starting lineup would free Noah Allen to return to the center back position and partner with Maximiliano Falcón as the two have done countless times this year.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets trained as normal with the team leading up to the second group-stage match, seeing no health-related issues. As the tournament progresses, the team’s roster could get deeper despite the lack of signings made during the limited transfer window. — Lizzy Becherano
2:51
Dawson: Guardiola made it clear Man City want to win CWC
Rob Dawson reports on Man City’s transfer activity and reveals Pep Guardiola’s attitude towards the Club World Cup.
Man City’s travel plan with a purpose for Guardiola & Co.
PHILADELPHIA — It’s a sign of how seriously Manchester City are taking this tournament that their schedule around games will closely match their preparation for Champions League fixtures.
Pep Guardiola likes his players to train at the CFA in Manchester in the morning the day before a European game. Players and staff will then usually travel later in the day after the session is finished. Guardiola and his staff have asked for the same schedule for the Club World Cup: City trained at their base at Lynn University in Boca Raton on Tuesday morning before a three-hour flight to Philadelphia in the afternoon ahead of their game against Wydad AC on Wednesday.
The only difference for City will be in their recovery. For Champions League games, players will usually stay over in the city the night of the game before traveling back to Manchester the following day. In the U.S., City have organized to return to Boca Raton immediately after each game. The idea is that the team hotel will be more comfortable for rest, recovery and relaxation rather than having the odd night in many different places. — Dawson
‘Best of the best’ facilities for Real Madrid
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — “This was a park before?!” Dean Huijsen sounded surprised. Real Madrid’s base camp at The Gardens North County District Park, Palm Beach Gardens — where the team is training for the first half of this Club World Cup — now looks like an elite performance venue. The players work on two side-by-side football pitches — built in accordance with FIFA standards — with impeccable surfaces. The fields are flanked by temporary buildings, huge, tented pavilions housing a gym and other equipment. Squint, and the players could be back home in Valdebebas, Madrid, not a community park outside Palm Beach.
“They’ve made great training facilities out of it,” defender Huijsen told journalists Tuesday. “It’s Real Madrid, so it’s the best of the best.” Midfielder Dani Ceballos described it as “one of the best [training venues] we’ve had here in the United States.” Security is tight. Local police help to control access, ensuring only accredited personnel get in. The site has previously hosted MLS clubs, and even international teams, but staff said they’ve never seen anything like the interest generated by Madrid. Each day, fans gather outside, hoping for a glimpse of the players.
The only downside is the distance. The site is half an hour from the team’s hotel, the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, and over an hour from Hard Rock Stadium, where Madrid play Al Hilal. It’s a journey coach Xabi Alonso had to make Tuesday, between morning training and giving his afternoon news conference at the stadium. “I’m excited,” he said, reflecting on his impending debut as Madrid coach.
“It’s good to train, and to talk, but the game will tell us a lot.” — Alex Kirkland
1:26
What can we expect from Xabi Alonso’s first Real Madrid XI?
Alex Kirkland explains what we learned from Xabi Alonso’s pre-match press conference ahead of taking charge of Real Madrid for the first time vs. Al Hilal.
Storms don’t dampen the Mamelodi party
ORLANDO, Fla. — For those who enjoy random football, Tuesday’s clash between Ulsan and Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando was full of curious stories. From the South African fans creating a party atmosphere outside the stadium, to the delay in the start of the match due to weather conditions, the two teams delivered a full package for their supporters.
The Inter&Co Stadium was not that full. In fact, quite the opposite. Only 3,412 spectators were present at the venue, which has a maximum capacity of 25,000 people.
Still, the South African party is worth highlighting. Even with long hours of travel to the United States, Mamelodi Sundowns fans did not stop singing and dancing for a minute.
The songs were only interrupted by the match organizers just as the ball was about to roll. But for a fair reason. The threat of a storm caused the start of the game to be delayed by just over an hour, causing everyone to leave the stands.
On the field, the highlight was the bold South African team. The Pretorians were superior from start to finish and, thanks to a goal from Iqraam Rayners, won 1-0 to take the lead in Group F. — Thiago D’Amaral
Chelsea players enjoy the individual intros
ATLANTA — Chelsea’s win over LAFC on Monday raised questions about the merits of the Club World Cup given that Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium was less than a third full, but it seems one of the tournament’s idiosyncrasies has gone down well with the squad.
Dortmund has a wall in front of the net
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #FFCBVB pic.twitter.com/6VVhclu6qw
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 17, 2025
Before every game, each member of the starting lineup is introduced to the crowd and walks out alone, in a departure from the usual custom of the entire starting lineup entering the field together. Blues midfielder Romeo Lavia was particularly taken with the innovation.
“It’s something special and new for us,” he said. “It’s a first, I enjoyed it. Why not bring it to the Premier League?” Pushed on that suggestion, Lavia immediately thought of a reason why it might not work. “I mean, it’s a bit of a showbiz thing, isn’t it? The only difference is [if we did it in the Premier League], we might get a bit cold because once you’re out there, you have to wait for the other players.”
High temperatures across the U.S. during some matches have led to some player complaints, but Lavia knows there’s nothing like the English weather to rain on a parade. — James Olley
River Plate pick up a big win, but Driussi could be a big loss
River Plate entered Lumen Field in Seattle carrying high expectations as they kicked off their Club World Cup campaign against Japanese side and AFC representative Urawa Red Diamonds. Marcelo Gallardo’s side clearly enjoyed a numerical advantage in the stands — much like their bitter rivals Boca Juniors had the day before in Miami against Benfica — and the sea of red and white may have played a role in River’s 3-1 victory.
Much of the attention pregame was placed on teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono — he will join Real Madrid when he turns 18 in August — who started on the right wing. But it was on the opposite flank where another player stole the headlines.
Los Millonarios took an early lead when Marcos Acuña’s cross found left winger Facundo Colidio, who headed past Shusaku Nishikawa. River continued to press in the second half and former Austin FC forward Sebastián Driussi added a second with another header. However, the goal proved bittersweet, as he fell awkwardly while beating Nishikawa to the loose ball and was forced off with an apparent lower leg injury. They’ll be hoping for positive news on their star forward if they’re to make good progress in this competition.
𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀! @RiverPlate double their lead through Sebastián Driussi.
Catch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every game. Free. | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/L3zwfDISv1
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 17, 2025
Urawa pulled one back shortly when Yusuke Matsuo converted a penalty past Franco Armani, but River responded swiftly — another header — as Maximiliano Meza nodded in another Acuña cross to seal a crucial win. The result ensured that all six CONMEBOL clubs remained unbeaten after their opening group stage matches.
River Plate’s next test will be against Monterrey in what could be a decisive clash in Group E, while Urawa face a daunting challenge against Champions League runners-up Internazionale. — Roberto Rojas
Match previews, odds for Wednesday
Manchester City vs. Wydad AC (Group G; Philadelphia, Noon ET)
Odds (via ESPN BET): Man City (-2500), Draw (+1400), Wydad AC (+2900)
Manchester City should be too strong for Wydad AC regardless of the team picked by Guardiola. Still, all eyes will be on his team selection to see which of the summer signings are thrown in right from the start as Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders could all make their City debuts at Lincoln Financial Field.
Fans will be most excited to see 21-year-old Cherki, particularly after his thrilling international debut for France against Spain earlier this month, but it’s Reijnders and Aït-Nouri could have the biggest immediate impact. City were crying out for energy and goals in midfield last season, and Reijnders should provide both. Meanwhile, Guardiola has also not worked with a specialist left back for nearly four years, while Aït-Nouri was one of the best left backs in the Premier League last season. — Dawson
Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal (Group H; Miami, 3 p.m. ET)
Odds: Real Madrid (-320), Draw (+475), Al Hilal (+650)
Finally: the first game of the Xabi Alonso era. The big doubt might be the availability of Kylian Mbappé — he missed training on Tuesday with a fever — but it’s far from the only one.
Will Alonso play with three center backs, as he often did at Bayer Leverkusen? It seems unlikely, given fitness doubts over Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba. Are new additions Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen ready to play from the start? But more than formations or names, the fundamental question is this: After just nine days’ training with the players, will this look like an Alonso team? — Kirkland
Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg (Group H; Cincinnati, 6 p.m. ET)
Odds: Pachuca (+175), Draw (+225), Salzburg (+150)
CF Pachuca qualified to the Club World Cup when winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, and will now face FC Salzburg to kick off their competition. To prepare, the Liga MX team signed seven reinforcements: Sebastián Jurado (FC Juárez), Agustín Palavecino (Necaxa), Federico Pereira (Toluca), Brian García (Toluca), Avilés Hurtado (FC Juárez), Víctor Guzmán (Chivas) and Robert Kenedy (Real Valladolid). Four of the seven players will only join the team for the Club World Cup, emphasizing the importance team ownership placed on this international competition.
Pachuca also hired Jaime Lozano as the newest head coach, strengthening every aspect of the roster. Despite a disappointing Liga MX Clausura campaign, qualifying to the playoffs in eighth place on the table before losing in the quarterfinals to Club America, the team will now look for a fresh start on the world’s stage. — Becherano
Al Ain vs. Juventus (Group G; Washington, D.C., 9 p.m. ET)
Odds: Al Ain (+1000), Draw (+550), Juventus (-550)
Igor Tudor arrived at Juventus in midseason with a simple task: get the Bianconeri into a Champions League spot after the psychodrama of the Thiago Motta tenure. He accomplished the mission with more substance than style, and at first, it appeared he might stick around for the Club World Cup before making way for a long-term successor. Yet the club, perhaps due to a lack of alternatives, opted to retain him, giving him a multiyear deal. Now he can make his mark straight away. Expect his trademark three-man defense, with Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie in the starting XI as well.
Al Ain, the Emirati champions, often get overshadowed by their neighbors in Saudi Arabia. Underestimate them at your own peril. They won the Asian Champions League in 2024, they have a top-shelf keeper in Rui Patrício (formerly of Roma and Wolves) and they boast a center forward, Togo’s Kodjo Laba, with 113 goals in his past 119 games. (They also have a young fullback named Gino Infantino. (No relation … we think!) — Gab Marcotti
>
