Feargal Brennan
Inter Miami have been confirmed as qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament has expanded to 32 teams for the 2025 edition with Lionel Messi’s side confirmed as the final entrant from CONCACAF.
After securing the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, Inter Miami were handed the vacant spot reserved for a club from the host nation, with FIFA adding them to the list.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed Inter Miami will take their place at the 2025 tournament in a club-first for the MLS side.
“We all know how Miami is in love with football and how Inter Miami is supported across Florida and beyond for its exciting brand of football”, he said.
“Congratulations on your wonderful 2024 Supporters’ Shield success. You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club.”
FIFA are yet to confirm full details over the draw, which is due to take place in December 2024, but Inter Miami will be involved.
The tournament format mirrors the FIFA World Cup (for international sides) with 32 qualifiers split across eight groups of four in the first stage.
Each team will be placed in a four-team group stage, with the top two progressing into single-knockout Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal and final format.
Amongst the potential opponents for Inter Miami in a open draw are defending champions Manchester City and current UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid.
In two games against Real Madrid in his time at PSG, Messi failed to score, as Los Blancos eliminated the Parisians on route to winning the 2021/22 Champions League title.
However, his record in El Clasico battles, during his iconic Barcelona career, yielded a superb return 26 goals and 14 assists split across 45 appearances more than any other player in clashes between the two Spanish giants.
As part of his incredible stint at Barcelona, Messi won three FIFA Club World Cup titles, but under the previous shorter format.
He scored in the 2019 final 2-1 win over Argentinian side Estudiantes, twice against Santos in the 2011 showpiece, and in the 2015 victory over River Plate.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is due to start on June 15, 2025 with the final scheduled for July 13.
Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta’s ‘Reds’ and Kenny’s Ireland ‘Greens’ and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.
