Soccer fans got some welcome news Saturday when FIFA announced locations for the 2025 Club World Cup.
For those of us who watch the sport only during international tournaments and might be getting lost in the details, this tournament is different from the FIFA World Cup that is coming to New Jersey in 2026.
It will feature club teams — professional teams from leagues around the world — as opposed to national teams.
During the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on Saturday, FIFA officials, with the help of celebrity guests, confirmed that 12 stadiums throughout the country would host the 32-team tournament, with the final set to be played on Sunday, July 13, in New York New Jersey, which means MetLife Stadium here in East Rutherford.
There are four stadiums in addition to the Meadowlands that are pulling double duty, with games in both the 2025 and 2026 tournaments. They are in Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle.
The other two cities that had been vying with the Garden State for the privilege of hosting the final in 2026, Dallas and Los Angeles, are not among the host cities in 2025.
What did FIFA officials say?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 host committee co-chairs for the games at MetLife, Bruce Revman and Lauren LaRusso, said they were “thrilled that another major soccer tournament is heading to our region” and that while they aren’t “directly involved with FIFA Club World Cup 2025 planning,” they will be “cheering on the sidelines and offering our support to the teams at FIFA and MetLife Stadium.”
“We are eager to apply any learnings to our plans for FIFA World Cup 26 and know a successful FIFA Club World Cup will only further amplify regional and global excitement for 2026,” they said.
Gov. Phil Murphy is also thrilled, spokesperson Natalie Hamilton said, because “combining the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final and the 2025 World Club Cup Final, the Garden State will host several of the most consequential soccer matches in history.”
There will be support such as fire and emergency services provided through the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which is responsible for the Meadowlands complex that includes the stadium, but the contract for the tournament itself is between MetLife and FIFA, following the format of concerts and other sporting events that take place at the stadium.
More: Security lapses at Copa America caused problems. How 2026 FIFA World Cup looks to avoid it
Who will participate in the 2025 FIFA Club Cup?
The teams that have qualified so far include the Seattle Sounders from the MLS as well as Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, Boca Juniors, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palameiras, River Plate, León, Monterrey, Pachuca, Al Ahly, Espérance, Mamelodi Sundowns, Waydad, Al-Hilal, Al Ain, Ulsan, Urawa and Auckland City.
It was also announced that Global Citizen would be responsible for the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife on July 19, 2026.
Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What to know: NJ to host 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in advance of 2026 FIFA tournament
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