The new format of the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicked off on Saturday, June 14, 2025, has already delivered plenty of excitement. African representatives Al Ahly held Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to an entertaining 0-0 draw in their Group A opener at Hard Rock Stadium. The result marked Al Ahly’s third draw in their last 28 Club World Cup matches, during which they’ve registered 11 wins and 14 losses.
While many fans in Miami were eager to witness a Messi masterclass, it was Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari who stole the spotlight in the first half, pulling off a string of impressive saves to keep the Egyptians at bay.
Elsewhere in Group A, FC Porto and Palmeiras also played out a goalless draw, leaving all four teams level on points after the first round of fixtures.
Another African side set to enter the fray is Espérance of Tunisia, who begin their Group D campaign against Flamengo tomorrow at 03:00 AM Central African Time (CAT) at Lincoln Financial Field in Pennsylvania. This will be Espérance’s fourth Club World Cup appearance, having featured in 2011, 2018, and 2019, with their best finishes coming in the latter two editions.
Espérance share Group D with Chelsea, who take on Los Angeles FC tonight at 9:00 PM CAT in their opening match.
Sundowns and Wydad Openers
Mamelodi Sundowns will launch their Group F campaign on Wednesday at 12:00 AM CAT, facing Ulsan HD of South Korea at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides at the Club World Cup. With Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense also in Group F, both teams will be looking for a strong start.
Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca are also in action on Wednesday when they take on Manchester City at 6:00 PM CAT at Lincoln Financial Field. Wydad are in a challenging Group G alongside Juventus and Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates and will aim to kick off their campaign with a victory.
Meanwhile, in matches already played, Bayern Munich crushed New Zealand amateur side Auckland City FC 10-0 — the largest winning margin ever recorded in a senior men’s FIFA tournament. Bayern now sit atop their group with three points, while Benfica and Boca Juniors are yet to play.
In Group B, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) outclassed Atletico Madrid with a commanding 4-0 win, and Brazil’s Botafogo edged Seattle Sounders of the United States 2-1.
READ MORE: Barbra Banda Issues Title Warning After Scoring Winner Against Kundananji’s Bay FC
