2025 Club World Cup Semifinals: Where to watch in the United States

The new format of the Club World Cup has resulted in a tournament that has exceeded expectations. Contrary to expectations, and to the surprise of many, the clubs that participated and those still in contention have taken the competition very seriously, which could take on a similar importance to the FIFA World Cup.

This first edition is a kind of experiment whose sporting results seem positive. Whereas previously only seven teams played, it has now expanded to 32, making it more similar to the World Cup. A member of the FIFA Technical Study Group for the championship said in a statement that “the competition is closer than expected. We wanted to create this tournament to give the big clubs around the world the opportunity to come. It looks like it will be the start of something that will never stop,” suggesting that the impact so far will allow the competition to be held in this way every four years, despite criticism that lengthening the season could affect players’ performance in the long term.

Part of the tournament’s success is due to the fact that, surprisingly, there is not as much of a gap between the level of European and South American teams, as demonstrated by Brazilian club Fluminense, the only American team to survive in the semifinals against three European teams. The team led by veterans such as Fabio Lopes (44) and Thiago Silva (40) will seek to repeat their 2023 feat and reach the final again, this time to win the trophy. During that edition, still in its old format, the team faced Manchester City in the final, who lifted the cup. Now, after defeating Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, they will face Chelsea, who were champions of the 2022 Club World Cup, the year in which they were acquired by American owners, giving the hosts a team to support (in the absence of their own in these latter stages).

The other match could be one of the big games of the championship, as two titans face off: Paris Saint-Germain (the current Champions League champions and the team in the best form in the tournament) will play Real Madrid, which is in first place in this year’s UEFA rankings. The match is seen by some as a battle between the modern and the classic, although the two teams have similar styles and always seek to put pressure on their opponents. The French team has been one of the most consistent throughout the tournament, but they should not underestimate Xabi Alonso’s team, which, despite an inconsistent start to the competition, showed improvement in their last match against Dortmund.

Both matches will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The venue has hosted other Club World Cup matches and will be the venue for both the Club World Cup final and the 2026 World Cup final on July 19 next year. Five group stage matches, one round of 32 match, and one round of 16 match will also be played there.

Tuesday, July 8

Fluminense vs. Chelsea

• Where: MetLife Stadium
• Time: 3:00 p.m. (local time)
• Where to watch: The match will be available exclusively via DAZN’s streaming service.

Wednesday, July 9

PSG vs. Real Madrid

• Where: MetLife Stadium
• Time: 3:00 p.m. (local time)
• Where to watch: The broadcast will be available on DAZN and TUDN.