EXPLAINER
Two all-European clashes, Brazilian flair and a Saudi surprise form the last-eight clashes of the Club World Cup.
Eight teams from across three continents have their sights set on the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 trophy as the tournament enters the second stage of its knockout matches.
After an extra-time thriller, two major upsets, three close encounters and two thumping wins, the quarterfinal lineup for the tournament has been completed as Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund became the last two teams to seal their spots.
The last-eight stage pits four European giants against each other, provides a Middle Eastern club the chance to build on their deserved success and two Brazilian teams the opportunity to take the continent further.
Here’s how the Club World Cup quarterfinal lineup looks:
⚽ First quarterfinal : Fluminense vs Al Hilal
When: Friday, July 4 at 3pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Emotions will run high and the stands will be replete with colour and noise when one of Brazil’s oldest football clubs take on Saudi Arabia’s football giants Al Hilal at the 65,000-capacity venue in Florida.
Al Hilal will ride on the high of beating the tournament’s defending champions Manchester City 4-3 in an extra-time thriller in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history on Tuesday.
Their Brazilian opponents, too, achieved similar success as they ousted Italian giants and UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan in a 2-0 win.
There will be no lack of noise and colour when fans of the two underdogs descend upon the Camping World Stadium on Friday.
⚽ Second quarterfinal : Palmeiras vs Chelsea
When: Friday, July 4 at 9pm (01:00 GMT, July 5 )
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Palmeiras, the second Brazilian club to enter the quarterfinals, will face the former English champions Chelsea in Friday’s second quarterfinal in Philadelphia.
Runners-up in the last season of Serie A, the top tier of Brazil’s club football, Palmeiras beat compatriots Botafogo in a heated clash in the round of 16 and have been one of the strongest defensive lineups in the tournament.
Their opponents, who won the Club World Cup in 2021, will look to move past a disappointing season at home and enter the business end of the competition for a chance to lift a trophy.
The last-eight clash will be the final match held at the 69,000-capacity Lincoln Field stadium.
The winner will face the team that emerges victorious from the Al Hilal vs Fluminense match in the first semifinal.
⚽ Third quarterfinal : PSG vs Bayern Munich
When: Saturday, July 5 at 12pm (16:00 GMT)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Arguably, the biggest clash of the quarterfinals pits two of the three title favourites remaining in the competition.
A win over German giants Bayern will consolidate European champions PSG‘s pedigree as one of the biggest clubs in the world and offer them a chance to complete a sensational season quadruple.
Bayern are the joint top goal-scoring team in the competition, with 16 goals in their four games so far, but their attack will be tested against the French champions at the 75,000-capacity stadium in Georgia.
⚽ Fourth quarterfinal: Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
When: Saturday, July 5 at 4pm (20:00 GMT)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The undisputed kings of the Club World Cup will come face-to-face with the German team that consistently finds itself amongst the best European clubs.
Real have welcomed back their star forward Kylian Mbappe and will hope he returns to his goalscoring form in a tough last-eight clash against a talented Dortmund team.
The match at the tournament’s biggest stadium and the venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final will provide a test for the organisers, whether they can fill up a huge stadium with fans of one of the most widely followed clubs in the world.
The winner of this clash will meet the winner of the PSG-Bayern match in the second semifinal.
Next up: #FIFACWC Quarter-Finals. 🔜 pic.twitter.com/T49Cj3bOOy
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) July 2, 2025
