FIFA Reveals Venues for 2025 Club World Cup Final, New Jersey Set to Host

FIFA Reveals Venues for 2025 Club World Cup Final, New Jersey Set to Host

FIFA has announced the venues for the highly anticipated 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, selected to host the final. The revamped 32-team tournament, a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be held across 12 venues throughout the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.

Key Venues Across the US

The final will take place at the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium, which will also be the venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Other prominent stadiums hosting matches include Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The lineup also features GEODIS Park in Nashville, Camping World Stadium in Orlando, and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, among others.

32 Teams to Compete

The expanded tournament will feature 32 teams, with title-winners from each of FIFA’s continental confederations competing. So far, 30 of the 32 places have been secured through qualification. European powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich have qualified, while South American giants River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo will represent the continent.

A Test for World Cup 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament as a significant step for global club football, stating that it would bring together top clubs from around the world. “This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America, and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup,” Infantino said.

The 2025 Club World Cup is seen as a crucial test for the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, especially in light of security concerns following crowd issues at the Copa America matches in Charlotte and Miami earlier this year. Despite this, FIFA has yet to announce broadcast deals or sponsorships for the event.

Opposition and Concerns

The tournament has faced criticism from within the football community, with FIFPRO and the European Leagues body filing complaints over the introduction of the competition into the already congested international match calendar. Critics argue that the expanded format increases the workload on players, potentially leading to burnout.

The last edition of the Club World Cup, featuring just seven teams, was won by Manchester City, who defeated Brazil’s Fluminense in the final in Saudi Arabia. FIFA plans to hold the expanded tournament every four years, with no host announced yet for the 2029 edition.

A Global Football Spectacle

The 2025 Club World Cup final in New Jersey, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, promises to be a spectacle for football fans worldwide. MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010, has a history of hosting major events, including the 2016 Copa America Centenario final, where Chile triumphed over Argentina in a dramatic penalty shootout.

As excitement builds, the tournament will serve as a vital milestone in the run-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, further cementing the United States’ status as a global football destination.