FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Inter Miami vs Al Ahly – preview, teams, start

Who: Inter Miami vs Al Ahly
What: FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Where: Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami, Florida, United States.
When: Saturday, June 14 – 8pm kickoff (00:00 GMT connected Sunday, June 15)

How to travel our coverage: We’ll person each the build-up from 6pm (16:00 GMT) connected Al Jazeera Sport.

The rebranded and expanded FIFA Club World Cup kicks disconnected connected Saturday, and the organisers person picked a plum necktie to motorboat the 32-team tournament.

Inter Miami and their prima name, Lionel Messi, instrumentality connected the astir palmy broadside successful satellite shot – Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Al Jazeera takes a look astatine the archetypal lucifer of the monthlong event.

How did Inter Miami suffice for the Club World Cup?

Miami finished arsenic the nine with the astir points successful Major League Soccer’s (MLS) regular season, handing them a spot astatine the Club World Cup alternatively of LA Galaxy, who won the MLS Cup, which is regarded arsenic the highest prize successful the MLS.

FIFA announced Miami’s summation to the Club World Cup successful October aft they broke MLS’s regular-season points grounds with a 6-2 triumph implicit New England Revolution to scope 74 points – 1 amended than the erstwhile grounds acceptable by New England successful 2021.

Inter Miami’s Uruguayan guardant Luis Suarez speaks to the media during a grooming league connected the eve of the Club World Cup 2025 Group A shot lucifer against Egypt’s Al Ahly [Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP]

How did Al Ahly suffice for the Club World Cup?

Al Ahly were crowned CAF (Confederation of Africa Football) Champions League winners 2 seasons agone to suffice for this tournament.

They were, however, dethroned arsenic Africa’s continental kings past season, starring to the departure of the coach, Marcel Koller, pursuing their nonaccomplishment to Mamelodi Sundowns successful the semifinals of CAF’s showpiece.

Jose Riveiro, who coached Orlando Pirates of South Africa past season, has been appointed arsenic the caller coach, and Inter Miami volition people his archetypal crippled successful charge.

Does David Beckham inactive co-own Inter Miami?

Former England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham bought a $25m involvement successful the franchise that would go Inter Miami successful 2014. In doing so, helium was exercising a clause from his declaration during his playing days with the MLS.

Inter Miami yet debuted successful 2020 and is besides co-owned by American concern magnates, Jorge and Jose Mas, though Beckham is precise overmuch the figurehead of the club.

Lionel Messi, centre left, holds his caller Inter Miami jersey arsenic helium poses with squad co-owners Jorge Mas, left, Jose Mas, 2nd right, and David Beckham, right, astatine an lawsuit to contiguous him to fans successful 2023 [File: Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo]

How galore Club World Cups has Messi won?

Messi is simply a two-time victor of the competition. The Argentine guardant lifted the trophy with Barcelona connected some occasions successful 2009 and 2011. He whitethorn good travel up against his manager astatine the time.

Much of Miami’s chances remainder connected Messi’s shoulders. “He’s successful bully signifier this season. There were moments erstwhile we had to springiness him immoderate clip to rest, but he’s played the past 15 games, but for the lucifer against Dallas erstwhile we rested the full squad,” said Inter manager Javier Mascherano.

“We were besides fortunate helium was capable to remainder during Argentina’s past 2 games,” helium added, referring to Messi playing 111 minutes successful Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia earlier this month.

“It’s our work to make the close situation for him to shine.”

Are Al Ahly the astir palmy nine successful the world?

Al Ahly person won an astonishing 155 trophies, including their 45th league rubric this season.

That is balanced against Real Madrid’s 15 UEFA Champions League titles successful the world’s premier nine competition, on with the Spanish giants claiming the La Liga rubric connected 36 occasions.

David Beckham, co-owner  of Inter Miami, looks connected arsenic Lionel Messi participates successful grooming [File: Chris Arjoon/Getty Images via AFP]

Who other is successful Inter Miami and Al Ahly’s group?

Brazilian nine Palmeiras and Portuguese giants Porto implicit Group A.

Here is the afloat database of the 8 groups:

• Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
• Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
• Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
• Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, LAFC
• Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
• Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD FC, Mamelodi Sundowns
• Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
• Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, FC Salzburg

Head-to-head

This is simply a archetypal gathering betwixt the sides arsenic the Concacaf representatives travel face-to-face with the CAF (Confederation of African Football) quadrate up.

Inter Miami squad news

Coach Javier Mascherano has been forced to re-shuffle his backline owed to a drawstring of injuries.

Fullback Jordi Alba, chap defender Gonzalo Lujan and antiaircraft midfielder Yannick Bright person each been ruled retired of the Group A clash.

“Hopefully they volition beryllium disposable for the 2nd game,” Mascherano told a quality league connected Friday.

Alba, 1 of Messi’s erstwhile Barcelona teammates, is sidelined with a hamstring issue. There were besides concerns regarding the fittingness of centre-back David Martinez.

“David had immoderate benignant of symptom yesterday, and we did not privation to instrumentality immoderate risks,” said Mascherano.

“The world is that passim the season, the squad person dealt with injuries, but the players who stepped successful roseate to the challenge. That gives america bid of mind,” helium said.

Al Ahly squad news

The Egyptian broadside person been successful the US for 2 weeks and person already played a warm-up lucifer against chap Club World Cup participants Pachuca. The Mexican nine won 5-3 connected penalties aft a 1-1 gully connected Sunday.

Riveiro has a afloat acceptable squad to take from, which is spearheaded by erstwhile Aston Villa guardant Mahmoud Trezeguet.

How overmuch does the Club World Cup victor receive?

The full prize cookware is $1bn, with the champions earning up to $125m.

About fractional of the $1bn volition beryllium divided betwixt the 32 clubs, with the magnitude per nine based connected sporting and commercialized criteria.