FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday that Inter Miami will receive a spot in the 2025 Club World Cup, a 32-team tournament that is the first of its kind and will take place in the United States next summer.
Infantino appeared out of nowhere at Inter Miami’s victory ceremony on the final day of the MLS regular season – following a 6-2 win in Miami and a Lionel Messi hat trick – to make the announcement.
He also said Miami would host the opening match of the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium even though Inter had failed to qualify based on previously announced criteria.
The remaining 31 teams – Manchester City and Real Madrid, Monterrey and Pachuca, Al Hilal and others – qualified or will qualify on the basis of clearly defined sporting merit, mainly by winning their continental championships between 2021 and 2024.
However, when FIFA finalized the criteria and format last year, it left one spot open for a team from the host country, the US. It was never said how that spot would be assigned.
When Yahoo Sports and others recently asked when that decision would be made, FIFA spokespeople did not say. However, people with second-hand knowledge of discussions were privately speculating all along that FIFA was looking for a way to get Messi and Miami into the tournament – which has struggled to attract sponsors and broadcasters amid resistance from the European football establishment .
Taking a microphone at Chase Stadium to make the announcement, Infantino said Miami earned the berth by winning the Supporters’ Shield, the MLS regular-season title, with a record 74 points. “Based on this outstanding performance this year, you deserve to be, and will be, qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup,” said Infantino.
However, the MLS will be crowned champions through the play-offs, which start next week. Miami is the top seed, but the Columbus Crew are the defending champions. None of the league’s 29 clubs entered the 2024 season knowing that the most points during the regular season would earn them a spot in the Club World Cup.
Messi’s presence will certainly increase the attractiveness of the tournament, but will confuse many who believe the final spot should have been awarded based on criteria announced ahead of the season – or to the MLS champion.
Inter Miami missed its only chance to qualify when it lost to Monterrey in the quarterfinals of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The only other MLS team to qualify is the Seattle Sounders. They secured their spot by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and will host all three of their group matches at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Complete Club World Cup field
The only Club World Cup spot left up for grabs will be awarded to the winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores, the South American championship. The remaining 31 of the 32 are now set:
North and Central America: Monterrey, León, Pachuca (all Mexico), Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami (both United States)
South America: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense (all Brazil), Boca Juniors, River Plate (both Argentina), winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores
Europe: Chelsea, Manchester City (both England), Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid (both Spain), Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund (both Germany), PSG (France), Inter Milan, Juventus (both Italy), Porto, Benfica (both Portugal) and Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
Asia: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Ulsan (South Korea) and Al Ain (UAE)
Africa: Al-Ahly (Egypt), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Esperance (Tunisia) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Oceania: Auckland City (New Zealand)
