FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday that Inter Miami would secure a place in the competition. 2025 Club World Cupa unique tournament of its kind bringing together 32 teams, which will take place in the United States next summer.
Infantino appeared out of nowhere during Inter Miami’s victory ceremony on the final day of the MLS regular season — after a 6-2 victory in Miami and Lionel Messi hat trick – to make the announcement.
He also said Miami would host the tournament’s opening match at Hard Rock Stadium, even though Inter had not qualified under any previously announced criteria.
The other 31 teams – Manchester City and Real Madrid, Monterrey and Pachuca, Al Hilal and others – have qualified or will qualify on clearly defined sporting meritnotably by winning their continental championships between 2021 and 2024.
However, when FIFA finalized the criteria and format last year, it left one spot open for a team from the host nation, the United States. She never specified how this place would be allocated.
When asked recently by Yahoo Sports and others when that decision would be made, FIFA spokespeople did not respond. However, people with direct knowledge of the discussions privately speculated from the start that FIFA was looking for a way to get Messi and Miami into the tournament – which was the case. struggled to attract sponsors and broadcasters in the face of resistance from the European football establishment.
When he grabbed a microphone at Chase Stadium to make the announcement, Infantino said Miami won the spot in win the Supporters’ Shieldthe MLS regular season title, with a record total of 74 points.
“Based on this outstanding performance this year, you deserve to be and you will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup,” Infantino said.
MLS, however, crowns its champion via playoffs, which begin next week. Miami is the top seed, but the Columbus Crew are the defending champions. None of the league’s 29 clubs entered the 2024 season knowing that the highest number of points throughout the regular season would earn them access to the Club World Cup.
Messi’s presence will surely boost the tournament’s appeal, but will anger those who believe the last place should have been awarded based on criteria announced before the season – or to the MLS champion.
Inter Miami missed their only other chance to qualify when they lost to Monterrey in the quarter-finals of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The only other MLS team that qualifies is the Seattle Sounders. They secured their place by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and will host their three group matches at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Full field for Club World Cup
The only remaining place up for grabs for the Club World Cup will be awarded to the winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores, the South American championship. The other 31 out of 32 are now defined:
North America and Central America: Monterrey, León, Pachuca (all Mexico), Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami (both United States)
South America: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense (all Brazilian), Boca Juniors, River Plate (both Argentinian), winners of the Copa Libertadores 2024
Europe: Chelsea, Manchester City (both in England), Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid (both in Spain), Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund (both in Germany), PSG (France), Inter Milan, Juventus (both in Italy) , Porto, Benfica (both in Portugal) and Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
Asia: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Ulsan (South Korea) and Al Ain (UAE)
Africa: Al-Ahly (Egypt), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Espérance (Tunisia) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Oceania: Auckland City (New Zealand)
