Egypt's Al Ahly to begin Club World Cup campaign against Messi's Inter Miami

Egypt's Al Ahly will play against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in the opening match of the 2025 Club World Cup tournament, world soccer governing body FIFA said on Saturday.

The match will take place at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Florida, and will be the only fixture played on June 14 next year.

Moroccan side Wydad AC will begin their campaign four days later against English Premier League champions Manchester City at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The Club World Cup, featuring top teams from around the world, will be held in 12 stadiums across the US from June 14-July 13 and serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

'Truly global'

"This match schedule is much more than a list of thrilling fixtures involving the best clubs in the world – it shows that club football can, and will be, truly global," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

Among the other opening group fixtures, Ligue 1 club Paris St Germain face LaLiga's Atletico Madrid in a mouthwatering Group B clash on June 15, while German heavyweights Bayern Munich take on Auckland City on the same day in Group C.

European champions Real Madrid will face Al-Hilal in Group H on June 18.

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