FIFA reveals 12 US stadiums for Club World Cup

Amidst serious concerns over the tournament’s feasibility, FIFA released the identity of the twelve United States stadiums to stage the 2025 Club World Cup. 32 teams from FIFA’s six confederations will participate in the competition, which occur from June 15 to July 13, 2025.

MetLife Stadium to host another major final

A year before the 2026 World Cup final, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host another big event with the final game of the revamped Club World Cup. Although no regular soccer is played in the stadium, it has been a place for memorable encounters in the past few years.

At the beginning of August, MetLife Stadium hosted a preseason El Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Arsenal and Manchester United also clashed there while preparing for the 2023/24 season.

In this summer’s Copa America, world champions Argentina played two games at MetLife Stadium, including the semi-final against Canada. The Global Citizen Festival also helped make this announcement.

Orlando the only city with two stadiums for Club World Cup

The Club World Cup will not be the only big soccer event in the US next summer. Teams will play the majority of the 2025 Gold Cup in the western part of the country. The club competition will shift to the East Coast to avoid scheduling conflicts.

The Seattle Sounders, who made history by becoming the first MLS club to compete in the Club World Cup in 2013, will once again take part in the upcoming tournament. That explains why Lumen Field (Seattle) made the list as one of the 12 venues.

Orlando is the only city to have two of its stadiums selected for the competition. One of the nine arenas for the 1994 World Cup, Camping World Stadium will host games. So will Inter&Co Stadium, the home of MLS’ Orlando City SC and NWSL’s Orlando Pride.

As expected, the places for the 2024 Copa America opening (Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)) and final (Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)) games are also on the list.

FIFA officials selected the soccer-specific Audi Field from the capital city, Washington, D.C. Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, which opened with a friendly game between Manchester United and Barcelona in 2013, will make an appearance despite the two giant clubs missing the tournament.

The 1994 World Cup final venue, Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles), is also on Saturday’s disclosed list. Three more MLS arenas – Charlotte FC’s Bank of America Stadium, Nashville SC’s Geodis Park, and FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium – completed the set.

There are still two vacant spots

Two vacant places for the Club World Cup remain unfilled, including an MLS team to represent the host country. FIFA can finalize the list of clubs when the Copa Libertadores final takes place at the end of November.

The draw for the group stage will occur in December.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.