The knockout stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set, with English giants Chelsea and Manchester City ready to resume their quest for global supremacy.
Manchester City cruised through Group G, winning all three matches, including a dominant 5-2 win over Juventus. Pep Guardiola’s team finished with 13 goals scored and only two conceded, securing top spot and a seeded position for the round of 16. Their next opponent? Saudi side Al-Hilal, who finished second in Group H. The two will clash in Orlando at the Camping World Stadium in the early hours of Tuesday, July 2 (2am BST).
Chelsea, meanwhile, had a more turbulent path. Despite victories earlier in the group stage, they were humbled by Flamengo in a 3-0 defeat, which saw them finish second in Group D. That result placed them on the unseeded side of the draw and set up a tough tie against Benfica, who went unbeaten in Group C ahead of Bayern Munich. The match is scheduled for Sunday, June 30 at 9pm BST in Charlotte, North Carolina.
If Chelsea get past Benfica, they’ll face either Palmeiras or Botafogo in the quarter-finals, with that fixture set for July 5 in Philadelphia. For City, a win over Al-Hilal would see them face either Fluminense or Inter Milan in the quarters on July 4, also in Orlando.
There’s a potential all-Premier League semi-final on the cards, with both English clubs possibly colliding on July 8 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. But before that, both must navigate tough South American and European opposition.
Full Round of 16 Fixtures (BST):
Saturday, June 28
Palmeiras vs Botafogo – 5pm
Benfica vs Chelsea – 9pm
Sunday, June 29
PSG vs Inter Miami – 5pm Flamengo vs Bayern Munich – 9pm
Monday, June 30
Inter Milan vs Fluminense – 8pm
Tuesday, July 1
Man City vs Al-Hilal – 2am
Real Madrid vs Juventus – 8pm
Wednesday, July 2
Borussia Dortmund vs Monterrey – 2am
Possible Routes to the Final:
Chelsea:
R16: vs Benfica – June 30
QF: vs Palmeiras/Botafogo –
July 5
SF: vs Man City/Fluminense/Inter – July 8
Final: July 13 at MetLife Stadium
Man City:
R16: vs Al-Hilal – July 2
QF: vs Fluminense/Inter –
July 4
SF: vs Chelsea/Benfica/Palmeiras/Botafogo – July 8
Final: July 13 at MetLife Stadium
With both clubs showing ambition and strength, the stage is set for a thrilling finish to the Club World Cup. Whether we’ll witness an all-English showdown remains to be seen, but the road to glory is now clearly marked.
Should we send you latest update about your favourite sports and team?
Enter you email in the box below and hit the subscribe button to join our teaming 876+ sports community.
