Clubs participating in next summer’s Club World Cup will have to take their strongest squads and field their strongest teams.
FIFA’s expanded new 32-team tournament is scheduled to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13 next summer.
Manchester City and Chelsea are the only English teams taking part and FIFA regulations mean they will not be able to allow any players to miss the tournament after a long season of domestic and European football.
In a further move to make sure squads are as strong as possible, FIFA will allow the member associations of all participating teams to open their transfer window from June 1-10 2025 so new signings can be registered before the tournament starts on June 15.
Clubs can also replace players during a restricted in-competition period from June 27 to July 3 within a set limit and according to specific limitations, including the fact that a “standard” registration window must be open for the club at the time.
Image: FIFA want stars like Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland to be on show at the Club World Cup
Players whose contracts expire on June 30 2025 will be allowed to extend their deals until July 13 so they can play in the whole tournament. For example, Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne could take advantage of this special dispensation if he has not extended his City contract by then.
The regulations of the tournament will also stipulate that no player will be able to play for more than one team in the Club World Cup.
Playing in the tournament will not count towards rules limiting the number of clubs a player can represent to a maximum of three in one season. There will also be no obligation for teams to release players for international duty during the tournament.
The new regulations were agreed at the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday. FIFA wants to make sure the best players play in the tournament and it believes the rules will ensure there is a level playing field for all participating clubs.
Meanwhile, European clubs are discussing proposals for the leading leagues to close their summer transfer windows simultaneously before their seasons start in the middle of August.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky News’ Rob Harris breaks down why FIFA have been warned of a mass revolt and legal action by footballers and leagues over its new men’s Club World Cup.
What is the Club World Cup?
Before its revamp for the 2025 tournament, the Club World Cup took place every year in December and was contested by the winners of continental club competitions from around the world.
For example, the winners of the UEFA Champions League would take part in the tournament every year and face off against continental counterparts from South America (CONMEBOL), Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), North America (CONCACAF) and Oceania (OFC).
But then FIFA announced in December that the competition would be expanded to 32 club teams and would take place every four years.
To replace the annual competition, an Intercontinental Cup will be played annually and have the UEFA Champions League winner playing in the final against a team that comes through intercontinental playoffs.
How does the tournament work?
The tournament format works exactly the same as the FIFA World Cup, only for clubs.
The 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four teams with the top two teams in each group qualifying to the knockout stage.
The last 16 stage then moves to the quarter-final, semi-final and then final – but there is not third-placed play-off between the two losing semi-final teams.
When is the draw?
The draw for the 2025 Club World Cup will take place in December 2024.
Harry Kane eclipsed Wayne Rooney’s Champions League record with a hat-trick of penalties in a four-goal haul as Bayern Munich demolished Dinamo Zagreb 9-2.
The England captain equalled Rooney’s total of 30 goals in the competition proper – the most by an English player – when he converted a 19th-minute spot-kick, and then went past him with a 57th-minute finish before extending his record.
In the meantime, Raphael Guerreiro and Michael Olise looked to have put the hosts in complete charge by half-time at the Allianz Arena, but Bruno Petkovic and Takuya Ogiwara dragged Dinamo right back into it at 3-2.
Image: Kane has scored nine goals in seven days
Image: Kane scored four having scored a hat-trick last weekend
However, Kane and Olise each struck for a second time within three minutes of each other and then the former Tottenham frontman completed his quadruple with two more penalties before substitutes Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka completed the rout.
Reigning champions Real Madrid needed late goals from Antonio Rudiger and substitute Endrick to finally break Stuttgart‘s stubborn resistance.
Image: Bayern inflicted a record-breaking win on opening night
Wednesday’s Champions League fixtures…
Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk (kick-off 5.45pm)
Sparta Prague vs Red Bull Salzburg (kick-off 5.45pm)
Celtic vs SK Slovan Bratislava (kick-off 8pm)
Club Brugge vs Borussia Dortmund (kick-off 8pm)
Manchester City vs Inter Milan (kick-off 8pm)
Paris Saint-Germain vs Girona (kick-off 8pm)
After a goalless first half, Kylian Mbappe had put the home side ahead but Deniz Undav’s equaliser kept the Germans in it until seven minutes from time – when Rudiger and then Endrick intervened to seal a 3-1 win.
Central defenders Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk both scored as Liverpool came from behind to win 3-1 at AC Milan.
The Reds got off to a bad start when Christian Pulisic fired Milan into a third-minute lead but a fine header from Konate dragged them back into it before Van Dijk repeated the dose to give them an advantage at half-time.
Image: Liverpool came from behind to beat AC Milan
Dominik Szoboszlai made the most of Cody Gakpo’s run and cross after the break to cement the win in style.
Aston Villa paid the perfect tribute to former striker Gary Shaw as they enjoyed a dream start to their campaign with a 3-0 win at Young Boys.
Villa’s return to the top table of European football was overshadowed by Monday’s death of Shaw, a golden boy of the club’s European Cup triumph in 1982.
Image: Jacob Ramsey netted for his hometown club
Thursday’s Champions League fixtures…
Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica (kick-off 5.45pm)
Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen (kick-off 5.45pm)
Atalanta vs Arsenal (kick-off 8pm)
Atletico Madrid vs RB Leipzig (kick-off 8pm)
Brest vs Sturm Graz (kick-off 8pm)
Monaco vs Barcelona (kick-off 8pm)
Boss Unai Emery told his current crop before the game to win it for Shaw and they listened as they began life in the revamped competition in style thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana.
Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez were on target as Juventus powered their way to a 3-1 home victory over PSV Eindhoven.
Yildiz and McKennie had the hosts 2-0 up by the break and when Gonzalez struck seven minutes into the second half, the points were safe despite substitute Ismael Saibari’s stoppage-time effort for the Dutch champions.
England midfielder Angel Gomes was sent off five minutes before half-time as Lille slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Sporting Lisbon courtesy of goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Zeno Debast.
Manchester City have been drawn at home to Inter Milan and away to Paris Saint-Germain as part of the new-look league phase to the Champions League that UEFA hopes will provide a more exciting first stage of the competition.
At the draw in Monte Carlo, the revamped 36-team competition threw up a showdown between City and Inter, the side they beat to finally lift the trophy in 2023. The new format sees all 36 teams forming a single league, with each entrant playing four home games and four away.
The top eight will go straight into the last 16 while a round of play-offs will decide the other eight teams.
City were the first team pulled out by former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Cristiano Ronaldo was the man then tasked with pushing a large button on the desk in front of him to allocate eight computer-generated opponents.
Manchester City opponents
Inter Milan (h) PSG (a)
Club Brugge (h) Juventus (a)
Feyenoord (h) Sporting CP (a)
Sparta Prague (h) Slovan Bratislava (a)
Juventus, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon, Sparta Prague and Slovan Bratislava are their other six opponents.
Liverpool were the next British team pulled out and landed a home fixture against holders Real Madrid. Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, AC Milan, Lille, PSV Eindhoven, Bologna and Girona made up their schedule.
Liverpool opponents
Real Madrid (h) Leipzig (a)
Leverkusen (h), Milan (a)
Lille (h), PSV (a)
Bologna (h), Girona (a)
Meanwhile, Arsenal were drawn out of pot two already knowing they would face PSG, Atalanta and Inter Milan. The rest of their opponents came out as Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb, Sporting Lisbon, Monaco and Girona.
Arsenal opponents
PSG (h), Inter Milan (a)
Shakhtar Donetsk (h), Atalanta (a)
Dinamo Zagreb (h), Sporting CP (a)
Monaco (h), Girona (a)
Aston Villa – former European champions having lifted the European Cup in 1982 – have been given a mouth-watering home encounter with Bayern Munich.
Image: Aston Villa have ended their 41-year wait to play at Europe’s top table
Aston Villa opponents
Bayern Munich (h), RB Leipzig (a)
Juventus (h), Club Brugge (a)
Celtic (h), Young Boys (a)
Bologna (h), Monaco (a)
Unai Emery’s side will also host Juventus as they return to the Champions League, ending a run of 41 years without playing in European football’s premier competition, as well as hosting Scottish champions Celtic. Their other five fixtures will be against Leizpig, Club Brugge, Young Boys, Bologna and Monaco.
As well as Villa, Celtic – residing in Pot Three – will face last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig, Club Brugge, Atalanta, Young Boys, Dinamo Zagreb and Slovan Bratislava.
Celtic opponents
RB Leipzig (h), Borussia Dortmund (a)
Club Brugge (h), Atalanta (a)
Young Boys (h), Dinamo Zagreb (a)
Solvan Bratislava (h), Aston Villa (a)
How the new format will work
For the new season, the Champions League has expanded from 32 to 36 teams, a transformation from the traditional group stage to a single league phase including all participating teams.
Each team has been drawn against two different teams from each pot, playing one team at home and one away. Teams will play eight matches against eight different teams.
Every club will now be guaranteed a minimum of eight league-stage games against eight different opponents (four home games, four away) rather than the previous six matches against three teams, played on a home-and-away basis.
The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition.
Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.
Will the new format lead to more early excitement?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports News’ Chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol reacts to the Champions League draw, which included appearances from Cristano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“It’s really easy, when it comes to modern football, to be a bit cynical and jaded, but I have to say that is the best draw I’ve ever seen.
Image: The new format sees all 36 teams forming a single league, with each entrant playing four home games and four away
“It’s probably the first draw I’ve ever seen that I’ve enjoyed. It was actually entertaining.
“It had Cristiano Ronaldo, who’d flown in from Saudi Arabia, Gianluigui Buffon, two brilliant presenters. It had a brilliant film, which had incredible acting by some of the most famous footballers in the world; Rodri was in it and Zlatan stole the show in explaining how the tournament has changed.
“When we got to the actual draw, that was brilliant as well. Gone were all of those balls and glass bowls – we basically had Buffon picking out one team and then Ronaldo – who, I have to say, looked a little bit bored – was the one who was pressing a button and, straightaway, the computer would come up with that team’s eight opponents.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo helped conduct the draw of the revamped 36-team competition in Monte Carlo
“It was really slick, it was really entertaining, fast-paced and also, it has thrown up some incredible games.
“For instance, a couple of years ago, the final was Inter Milan vs Man City – this time around, that is just a league phase game. Also Barcelona vs Bayern, PSG vs Man City, Real Madrid vs Liverpool, PSG vs Arsenal, Bayern vs PSG. These could all be finals.
“I, for one, am totally won over. I think this is going to be a brilliant new format.”
Champions League draw in full
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
Manchester City
Inter Milan (h)
PSG (a)
Club Brugge (h)
Juventus (a)
Feyenoord (h)
Sporting CP (a)
Sparta Prague (h)
Slovan Bratislava (a)
Inter Milan
RB Leipzig (h)
Man City (a)
Arsenal (h)
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
Red Star Belgrade (h)
Young Boys (a)
Monaco (h)
Sparta Prague (a)
Bayern Munich
PSG (h)
Barcelona (a)
Benfica (h)
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
Dinamo Zagreb (h)
Feyenoord (a)
Solvan Bratislava (h)
Aston Villa (a)
RB Leipzig
Liverpool (h)
Inter Milan (a)
Juventus (h)
Atletico Madrid (a)
Sporting CP (h)
Celtic (a)
Aston Villa (h)
Sturm Graz (a)
Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona (h)
Real Madrid (a)
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
Club Brugge (a)
Celtic (h)
Dinamo Zagreb (a)
Sturm Graz (h)
Bologna (a)
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
Barcelona
Bayern Munich (h)
Borussia Dortmund (a)
Atalanta (h)
Benfica (a)
Young Boys (h)
Red Star Belgrade (a)
Brest (h)
Monaco (a)
Real Madrid
Image: Carlo Ancelotti lifts the Champions League trophy
Borussia Dortmund (h)
Liverpool (a)
AC Milan (h)
Atalanta (a)
Salzburg (h)
Lille (a)
Stuttgart (h)
Brest (a)
Liverpool
Real Madrid (h)
RB Leipzig (a)
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
AC Milan (a)
Lille (h)
PSV (a)
Bologna (h)
Girona (a)
PSG
Man City (h)
Bayern Munich (a)
Atletico Madrid (h)
Arsenal (a)
PSV (h)
Salzburg (a)
Girona (h)
Stuttgart (a)
Atletico Madrid
RB Leipzig (h)
PSG (a)
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
Benfica (a)
Lille (h)
Salzburg (a)
Solvan Bratislava (h)
Sparta Prague (a)
Atalanta
Real Madrid (h)
Barcelona (a)
Arsenal (h)
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
Celtic (h)
Young Boys (a)
Sturm Graz (h)
Stuttgart (a)
Club Brugge
Borussia Dortmund (h)
Man City (a)
Juventus (h)
AC Milan (a)
Sporting CP (h)
Celtic (a)
Aston Villa (h)
Sturm Graz (a)
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
Bayer Leverkusen
Inter Milan (h)
Liverpool (a)
AC Milan (h)
Atletico Madrid (a)
Salzburg (h)
Feyenoord (a)
Sparta Prague (h)
Brest (a)
Arsenal
PSG (h)
Inter Milan (a)
Shakhtar Donestsk (h)
Atalanta (a)
Dinamo Zagreb (h)
Sporting CP (a)
Monaco (h)
Girona (a)
Benfica
Barcelona (h)
Bayern Munich (a)
Atletico Madrid (h)
Juventus (a)
Feyenoord (h)
Red Star Belgrade (a)
Bologna (h)
Monaco (a)
AC Milan
Liverpool (h)
Real Madrid (a)
Club Brugge (h)
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
Red Star Belgrade (h)
Dinamo Zagreb (a)
Girona (h)
Slovan Bratislava (a)
Juventus
Man City (h)
RB Leipzig (a)
Benfica (h)
Club Brugge (a)
PSV (h)
Lille (a)
Stuttgart (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Shakhtar Donetsk
Bayern Munich (h)
Borussia Dortmund (a)
Atalanta (h)
Arsenal (a)
Young Boys (h)
PSV (a)
Brest (h)
Bologna (a)
Young Boys
Inter Milan (h)
Barcelona (a)
Atalanta (h)
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
Red Star Belgrade (h)
Celtic (a)
Aston Villa (h)
Stuttgart (a)
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
Lille
Real Madrid (h)
Liverpool (a)
Juventus (h)
Atletico Madrid (a)
Feyenoord (h)
Sporting CP (a)
Sturm Graz (h)
Bologna (a)
PSV
Liverpool (h)
PSG (a)
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
Juventus (a)
Sporting CP (h)
Red Star Belgrade (a)
Girona (h)
Brest (a)
Feyenoord
Bayern Munich (h)
Man City (a)
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
Benfica (a)
Salzburg (h)
Lille (a)
Sparta Prague (h)
Girona (a)
Dinamo Zagreb
Borussia Dortmund (h)
Bayern Munich (a)
AC Milan (h)
Arsenal (a)
Celtic (h)
Salzburg (a)
Monaco (h)
Solvan Bratislava (a)
Red Star Belgrade
Barcelona (h)
Inter Milan (a)
Benfica (h)
AC Milan (a)
PSV (h)
Young Boys (a)
Stuttgart (h)
Monaco (a)
Salzburg
PSG (h)
Real Madrid (a)
Atletico Madrid (h)
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
Dinamo Zagreb (h)
Feyenoord (a)
Brest (h)
Sparta Prague (a)
Celtic
RB Leipzig (h)
Borussia Dortmund (a)
Club Brugge (h)
Atalanta (a)
Young Boys (h)
Dinamo Zagreb (a)
Solvan Bratislava (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Sporting CP
Man City (h)
RB Leipzig (a)
Arsenal (h)
Club Brugge (a)
Lille (h)
PSV (a)
Bologna (h)
Sturm Graz (a)
Stuttgart
PSG (h)
Real Madrid (a)
Atalanta (h)
Juventus (a)
Young Boys (h)
Red Star Belgrade (a)
Sparta Prague (h)
Solvan Bratislava (a)
Girona
Liverpool (h)
PSG (a)
Arsenal (h)
AC Milan (h)
Feyenoord (h)
PSV (a)
Solvan Bratislava (h)
Sturm Graz (a)
Bologna
Borussia Dortmund (h)
Liverpool (A)
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
Benfica (a)
Lille (h)
Sporting CP (a)
Monaco (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Brest
Real Madrid (h)
Barcelona (a)
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
PSV (h)
Salzburg (a)
Sturm Graz (h)
Sparta Prague (a)
Aston Villa
Twitter
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
Bayern Munich (h)
RB Leipzig (a)
Juventus (h)
Club Brugge (a)
Celtic (h)
Young Boys (a)
Bologna (h)
Monaco (a)
Sparta Prague
Inter Milan (h)
Man City (a)
Atletico Madrid (h)
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
Salzburg (h)
Feyenoord (a)
Brest (h)
Stuttgart (a)
Slovan Bratislava
Man City (h)
Bayern Munich (a)
AC Milan (h)
Atletico Madrid (a)
GNK Dinamo (h)
Celtic (a)
Stuttgart (h)
Girona (a)
Monaco
Barcelona (h)
Inter Milan (a)
Benfica (h)
Arsenal (a)
Crvena Zvezda (h)
GNK Dinamo (a)
Aston Villa (h)
Bologna (a)
Sturm Graz
RB Leipzig (h)
Borussia Dortmund (a)
Club Brugge (h)
Atalanta (a)
Sporting CP (h)
Lille (a)
Girona (h)
Brest (a)
Why was the draw being done by a computer?
The new draw system took around 35 minutes – the same duration as the manual draws for the previous 32-team format with a group phase and knockout stage.
Without the bespoke software, an old-fashioned manual draw for the expanded competition would have taken four hours and require up to 1,000 balls and 36 glass bowls.
When will fans know the fixture dates?
The finalised fixture list will be released on Saturday August 31.
When are the 2024/25 Champions League league-stage matches?
Matchday 1: September 17-19, 2024
Matchday 2: October 1/2, 2024
Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024
Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024
Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024
Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024
Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025
Matchday 8: January 29, 2025
When are the 2024/25 Champions League knockout stages?
Knockout round play-offs: February 11/12 and February 18/19, 2025
Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025
Quarter-finals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025
Semi-finals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025
Final: May 31, 2025
Where is the Champions League final being held in 2025?
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.
