Club World Cup: FIFA president touts tournament as start of big year for soccer in US

The FIFA Club World Cup will be the appetizer to the FIFA World Cup this summer as the best teams from around the globe will compete in the United States for the first time.

Major League Soccer squads Seattle Sounders FC and Inter Milan will be among the 32 clubs competing for the trophy. The tournament begins on June 14.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, and Brazilian former soccer player Ronaldo Nazario unveil the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club World Cup draw at Telemundo Studios in Miami on Dec. 5, 2024. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday that some of the world’s best players will compete, including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham and Rodri, will all be competing.

“Spectacle, pure and soccer will definitely conquer America in 100 days from now,” he said.

The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California; MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina; Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Lumen Field in Atlanta, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida; Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida; Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee; TQL Stadium in Cincinnati and Audi Field in Washington will be the host venues.

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Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, left, fights for the ball with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the Bernebeu stadium in Madrid on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

The Club World Cup will be a preview for when the best players represent the top soccer nations in the world to battle for the World Cup trophy, which will take place from June 11, 2026 to July 19, 2026, and can be seen only on FOX Sports programming.

The United States, Canada and Mexico are the host countries with the championship being played at MetLife Stadium.

So far, the host nations are the only countries that have clinched spots in the tournament. More will follow over the next year. The field will expand to 48 teams for the first time.

Infantino had high hopes for the two major tournaments.

Soccer fans visit a display of the trophies for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament, right, and the CONCACAF Champions Cup, ahead of a CONCACAF Champions Cup soccer match between Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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“A quarter of the world will be there,” he said of fans at the World Cup next year. “We’ll have millions of people coming. And, honestly, between the Club World Cup this year and the World Cup next year, it’s definitely time to take over this country when it comes to soccer.”

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