The Fifa Club World Cup is upon us and there is a sense of cautious optimism as an expanded tournament with a huge prize pool kicks off in a new territory.
Home team Inter Miami kickstart the 32-team tournament this weekend against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, marking the beginning of a new journey for the sport.
Football is making its first big inroad in North America this century. The Club World Cup will not only bring the global sport to a relatively untapped and lucrative market but also serve as preparation for the big event next year – the Fifa World Cup that takes place across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Some of the biggest clubs in the world will be in action in the US over the coming weeks, from European giants Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City to Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al Hilal, South American powerhouses Boca Juniors and Fluminense and representatives of all confederations.
However, things have been far from smooth. President Donald Trump's travel bans, tightening rules around overseas visitors and a deteriorating law and order situation in Los Angeles, one of the host cities, over immigration policies have shifted the focus away from the actual tournament.
According to reports, there is lukewarm demand for tickets for the Club World Cup, forcing Fifa to slash prices.
Even so, the stakes are very high for the competing teams.
The 32-team tournament has a staggering $1 billion in prize money on offer, with the top teams standing to take home up to $125 million.
The incentive will be even bigger for teams like South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, who will receive a guaranteed minimum of almost $10 million, which is equivalent to the prize money for 10 domestic titles.
The 2025 Club World Cup begins on Saturday with a clash between Egypt's Al Ahly and home team Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium. The match begins at 4am (UAE time) on Sunday.
All 63 matches will be shown live around the world on streaming platform DAZN. Fans can sign up here and watch the competition on any device.
Group A guide: Al Ahly, Porto, Palmerias, Inter Miami
Group B guide: Atletico Madrid, Seattle Sounders, Botafogo, PSG
Group C guide: Benfica, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Bayern Munich
Group D guide: Flamengo, Esperance, Chelsea, Los Angeles FC
Group E guide: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F guide: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G guide: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H guide: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, RB Salzburg
Saturday, June 14
Al Ahly v Inter Miami (Group A), Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, (4am Sunday UAE time)
Sunday, June 15
Bayern Munich v Auckland City (Group C),TQL Stadium, Cincinnati (8pm)
PSG v Atletico Madrid (Group B), Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles (11pm)
Palmeiras v FC Porto (Group A), MetLife Stadium, New York (2am Monday)
Botafogo v Seattle Sounders (Group B), Lumen Field, Seattle (6am Monday)
