For the first time, the world’s biggest soccer clubs will battle for victory on American soil, and Miami will be one of the key cities. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is set to be a historic moment in fútbol history, bringing top teams from Europe, South America, and the world to the U.S.
Miami has a lot to prove before it gets started on June 14 when Inter Miami faces Al Alhy at the Hard Rock Stadium.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is the first official club tournament with 32 teams participating. The top clubs in the world will be competing, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, River Plate, and Flamengo, among others. However, after the Copa América 2024 fiasco at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami faces serious questions about whether it is ready to host a tournament of this scale.
A New Era
For decades, the FIFA Club World Cup was considered a boring tournament, with seven participating teams in a yearly format. But in 2025, FIFA decided that it was time for a change — expanding the tournament to 32 teams from around the world playing every four years, making it the most important tournament for clubs.
Clubs from every continent will be playing in this Club World Cup. Europe was designated with the most participants, 12 teams, while South America is the second continent with six participants. North America will be having five clubs in the tournament, four of them come in as Concacaf Champions Cup champions, while Inter Miami participates as the host country club. Africa and Asia have four teams each, while Oceania has one.
Behind the Copa América 2024 Fiasco
The Copa América 2024 final in Miami was supposed to be a celebration between Argentina and Colombia, but it was overshadowed by stampeding fans, security failures and delays.
“The final was delayed by over an hour due to poor organization,” said TyC Sports journalist Gastón Edul during a stream with DavoXeneize on his Kick channel. “Fans without tickets breached security, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns. This was a clear indication of the need for better planning and execution in future events.”
Agustina Brabo, an Argentine journalist living in Philadelphia who was covering the final, was concerned for the fans.
“Fans who paid thousands for tickets couldn’t even enter, while people without tickets managed to sneak in,” Brabo told Caplin News. “American society isn’t used to dealing with this kind of soccer culture, they had no way of anticipating what happened at the Copa América final. It just never crossed their minds that this was an option.”
The security failures became evident hours before kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, when tens of thousands of fans, many without tickets, flooded the South West gate of the stadium. Miami-Dade Police and stadium security were not able to control the surging crowds for hours, leading officials to lock down all the gates of the stadium, and preventing ticketed fans from getting inside.
Jason Manco, a fan from New York who filed a class-action lawsuit against Hard Rock Stadium, claimed that he was denied entry even though he had spent almost $5,500 on tickets. Others, like Isabel Quintero, who also filed a lawsuit alleging bodily harm, suffered injuries in the overcrowded gates. According to court documents, Quintero was pushed, trampled and slammed into a pillar, which caused damage to her knee, shoulder and chest.
In response, Hard Rock Stadium defended its actions, claiming it had done everything they were asked by Conmebol. “Hard Rock Stadium implemented, and in many cases exceeded, CONMEBOL’s security recommendations throughout the tournament and the Final,” the stadium stated.
Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Miami World Cup 2026 and Club World Cup 2025 host committee, emphasized that new security measures will be in place to avoid past mistakes.
“I am not going to second-guess what preparations they made for Copa America; all I can say is we will have different perimeters outside the stadium, so if you don’t have a ticket, you can’t get past the first perimeter checkpoint,” Barreto told the Miami Herald.
Miami: The Fútbol city
Soccer in the United States has been rising for the past few years and in Miami, too. Latinos have been a part of the city for decades now, growing the Fútbol culture. Since 2016, Miami has been the setting for huge soccer games and tournaments, hosting the second ever Barcelona vs. Real Madrid away from Spain, the Copa América 2024 final, and the creation of the MLS franchise in 2018, Inter Miami. The icing on the cake came in 2023, when the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, arrived at Inter Miami.
For many South American fans living in Miami, fútbol isn’t just a sport, it’s a way to stay connected to home.
Teo Cambaklian, a Boca Juniors fan living in Miami since 2014, expressed his excitement for seeing his team play for the first time in a competitive tournament in his own city in the Club World Cup.
“Boca coming to Miami again is incredible,” he said. “It’s a chance to reconnect with that passion. The last time was just a friendly match, but this is official, which makes it even more exciting for me, my brother, and my dad.”
Miami is home to the River Plate Miami Filial, an official supporters’ club for River Plate fans in Miami. The Filial hosts watch parties for every game, organizes trips to matches being played in America, and brings together thousands of River Plate supporters throughout South Florida. With River Plate playing in the Club World Cup in Los Angeles and Seattle, the Filial will be at the heart of organizing local and traveling fans, ensuring a strong presence in the stadiums.
Federico Emiliano Muñoz, a River Plate journalist and superfan with over 25 years of going to watch the team every weekend, recalled the immense passion of the Millonarios’ fans traveling abroad.
“River fans will make their presence felt,” he said. “The logistics might be tough, but the fans will be there.”
The Challenge of Fan Culture & Discriminatory Chants
South America is known for its passionate fans, but this passion can sometimes turn into controversy. The barras bravas, the ultra-fan groups of clubs like Boca Juniors or River Plate, are expected to travel. These groups bring an intense and unique atmosphere, but also concerns regarding crowd control and fan behavior.
However, barras bravas have also been associated with racist and homophobic chants in the last years, an issue that CONMEBOL has been trying to address for some time now with results nowhere to be seen. FIFA, taking a stronger stance, has implemented a three-step protocol that allows referees to pause matches, issue stadium warnings, and even abandon games if offensive behavior continues.
“You can never fully predict fan behavior,” Cambalkian said, “but I hope people realize this is just fútbol, not war. We’re rivals, not enemies, and we should be sending the right message.”
Recent incidents in MLS highlight this issue, with San Diego FC fans being warned multiple times after singing offensive chants during the first two games of the franchise’s history. FIFA has also imposed fines on clubs whose fans engage in racist or homophobic behavior, and Club World Cup will be no exception.
Muñoz added that in his time travelling to the former Club World Cups, fans seem to understand they are not in Argentina. “I’ve seen it in past tournaments, fans who travel tend to be more careful with their behavior. They know they’re in another country, so they follow the rules more.”
What It Means for Miami’s Soccer Future
FIFA and Miami will use this Club World Cup as a test run. Hosting the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 offers Miami and the United States the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of hosting large-scale international soccer events.
Brabo believes Miami has everything to become one of the Fútbol capitals of the world. “I’ve covered fútbol across different countries, and Miami has the potential to be a top-tier host. But that will only happen if they learn from past mistakes,” he said.
The tournament also is expected to bring significant economic benefits to Miami. SportsEpreneur, which provides economic information regarding each host city, projects between $160 million and $620 million dollars for each host city.
It’s also a chance for Miami to build a fútbol legacy by correcting its mistakes from 2024.
UEFA (Europe) – 12 Teams:
- Chelsea (England) – 2020-21 UEFA Champions League winners
- Real Madrid (Spain) – 2021-22 & 2023-24 UEFA Champions League winners
- Manchester City (England) – 2022-23 UEFA Champions League winners
- Bayern Munich (Germany) – Top-ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Paris Saint-Germain (France) – Second-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany) – Third-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Inter Milan (Italy) – Fourth-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Porto (Portugal) – Fifth-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Atlético Madrid (Spain) – Sixth-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Benfica (Portugal) – Seventh-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Juventus (Italy) – Eighth-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
- Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) – Ninth-best ranked non-champion in UEFA 2021-2024 rankings
CONMEBOL (South America) – 6 Teams:
- Palmeiras (Brazil) – 2021 Copa Libertadores champions
- Flamengo (Brazil) – 2022 Copa Libertadores champions
- Fluminense (Brazil) – 2023 Copa Libertadores champions
- Botafogo (Brazil) – 2024 Copa Libertadores champions
- River Plate (Argentina) – Top-ranked non-champion in CONMEBOL 2021-2024 rankings
- Boca Juniors (Argentina) – Second-best ranked non-champion in CONMEBOL 2021-2024 rankings
CAF (Africa) – 4 Teams:
- Al-Ahly (Egypt) – CAF Champions League winners (2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24)
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) – 2021-22 CAF Champions League winners
- Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia) – Top-ranked non-champion in CAF 2021-2024 rankings
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) – Second-best ranked non-champion in CAF 2021-2024 rankings
AFC (Asia) – 4 Teams:
- Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) – 2021 AFC Champions League winners
- Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) – 2022 AFC Champions League winners
- Al-Ain (UAE) – 2023-24 AFC Champions League winners
- Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) – Top-ranked non-champion in AFC 2021-2024 rankings
CONCACAF (North, Central America, and Caribbean) – 4 Teams:
- Monterrey (Mexico) – 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winners
- Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winners
- Pachuca (Mexico) – 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup winners
- León (Mexico) has been excluded from the tournament, and FIFA has yet to announce which team will replace them.
OFC (Oceania) – 1 Team:
- Auckland City (New Zealand) – Top-ranked OFC Champions League team in 2021-2024 rankings
Host Nation (USA) – 1 Team:
- Inter Miami (USA) – 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners
The United States has been chosen to be the first host country ever for the expanded Club World Cup. The tournament consists of 63 matches between group stage and playoffs, which will be played throughout 11 cities and 12 stadiums.
- MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey – 82,500 capacity
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia – 75,000 capacity
- Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California – 88,500 capacity
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida – 65,000 capacity
- Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington – 69,000 capacity
- Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 69,000 capacity
- Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina – 75,000 capacity
- Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida – 65,000 capacity
- Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida – 25,000 capacity
- Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee – 30,000 capacity
- TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio – 26,000 capacity
- Audi Field in Washington, D.C. – 20,000 capacity
New Jersey is the main city, hosting nine games at Metlife Stadium, including both semifinals and the final. Miami follows in as the second most important host city hosting the inaugural game, where Inter Miami will face Al Alhy on June 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium.
