The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is taking place in the United States – Los Angeles included – and a hometown team has a chance to secure the last spot in the international tournament.
The Club World Cup, which starts June 14, will feature 32 teams for the first time ever (for a total of 63 matches throughout the competition) and take place at a dozen venues across the country:
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
- Rose Bowl (Los Angeles)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
- GEODIS Park (Nashville)
- MetLife Stadium (New York City area)
- Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- Lumen Field (Seattle)
- Audi Field (Washington D.C.)
MetLife Stadium is set to host the final on July 13. Of the venues selected for the tournament, four (TQL Stadium, GEODIS Park, Inter&Co Stadium and Audi Field) are soccer-specific stadiums for Major League Soccer teams FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC, Orlando City and D.C. United, respectively.
Angelenos are in for a treat as seven of the world’s best teams will play at the Rose Bowl. Matches at the famed venue are scheduled for June 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 25, according to tournament officials. The teams are: Paris Saint-Germain (France); Atlético de Madrid (Spain); Botafogo (Brazil); CF Monterrey (Mexico); River Plate (Argentina); Inter Milan (Italy) and Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan).
Los Angeles, however, has the chance to send one of the city’s own to the tournament as LAFC looks to claim the 32nd and final spot. Standing in their way, however, is Mexican giants Club América, one of the most successful and storied clubs in the country.
“It’s a must-win match for the two giants,” Club World Cup officials said in a media release issued Tuesday. “This play-in is more than just a game — it’s the last ticket to a global stage and a chance to be crowned the undisputed champion of the world.”
The winner of the LAFC-América matchup will fill the last spot in Group D, which already includes Chelsea (England); Flamengo (Brazil) and Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia). The lucky team that wins the competition gets $125 million of the total $1 billion in prize money.
Fortunately enough for fans, the play-in match between LAFC and América — set to kick off May 31 at 7:30 p.m. at BMO Stadium — is available to stream free on DAZN, as are all 63 matches taking place in this year’s Club World Cup. For U.S.-based viewers, matches will also be available on TBS and Univision in English and Spanish, respectively.
Should LAFC emerge victorious (as they have twice in the past against América; a third match ended in a draw) they will be the third MLS side to be participating in the Club World Cup 2025. Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami qualified due to winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and as hosts of the tournament, respectively.
More information on the Club World Cup can be found here. You can view the groups for the tournament here.
In league play this year, LAFC have not faired too bad as they sit fourth in the MLS Western Conference. The same cannot be said for crosstown rivals LA Galaxy, who have yet to win a single match after 15 games.
