EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Fabián Ruiz scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain built a three-goal lead in the first 24 minutes and routed Real Madrid 4-0 on Wednesday, advancing to the Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
Ruiz scored in the sixth minute and Ousmane Dembélé in the ninth following glaring mistakes by defenders Raúl Asencio and Antonio Rüdiger, and Ruiz made it 3-0 to cap a counter. Gonçalo Ramos added a goal in the 87th.
Coming off its first European title, PSG plays for the championship on Sunday.
“We’re truly happy to be in another final,” Ruiz said. “Now we have to enjoy it because we’re doing something historic. It’s very difficult to reach every final this season, and now we’re one step away.”
Real Madrid fared no better than Inter Milan, overrun by PSG 5-0 in the Champions League final. The 15-time European champion looked sluggish after traveling to Florida for training between games, and PSG had 76.5% possession in the first half.
A crowd of 77,542 was at MetLife Stadium on a scorching day with a temperature of 91 degrees at kickoff and humidity that made it feel like 101.
Real’s Kylian Mbappé was not a threat in his first game against his former team.
“It’s a painful defeat. We were not up to standard today,” Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said through an interpreter.
Luka Modrić entered in the 64th in likely his last match for Madrid, his team since 2012. Éder Militão came in at the same time in his first game since tearing his right ACL on Nov. 9.
PSG surged ahead after Lucas Beraldo’s cross was mis-hit by Raúl Asencio, Thibaut Courtois tipped the ball from Dembélé and Ruiz slammed it into the empty net.
Dembélé then took possession about 40 yards out after a Rüdiger mis-hit, dribbled and slotted past Courtois.
PSG went the length of the field to make it 3-0. Hakimi exchanged passes with Dembélé, then crossed for Ruiz, who maintained control despite Federico Valverde’s challenge and scored from 8 yards for his third goal of the tournament.
Madrid’s defense was missing Dean Huijsen, who got a red card Saturday against Borussia Dortmund, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had right leg muscle discomfort.
Paris Saint-Germain has earned $88,435,000 to $113,815,000 for reaching the final, the amount depending on a participation fee.
Emmanuel Sabbi scored on Vancouver’s only shot on goal, Yohei Takaoka made four saves and the Whitecaps spoiled Olivier Giroud’s farewell match with a 1-0 victory over LAFC on Sunday night.
Giroud started and played 60 minutes in his final appearance for LAFC. The famed French forward is expected to sign with Lille after one disappointing year in Los Angeles during which he was largely an unproductive substitute, scoring just five goals in 38 matches.
Giroud had a chance to go out with a bang when Denis Bouanga fed him an exceptional cross while he was unmarked deep in Vancouver’s penalty area in the 50th minute, but Giroud volleyed it over the bar.
Giroud still left the field to a standing ovation 10 minutes later, but LAFC failed to equalize without him in its first match back from a winless three-game stint at the Club World Cup.
LAFC scored one goal in the entire FIFA tournament, but still netted at least $9.5 million for earning the final spot in the field. Back in Los Angeles, its nine-match unbeaten run in league play ended with even more offensive frustration against Vancouver.
Takaoka secured his 10th clean sheet for the depleted Whitecaps, who won for just the second time in six matches while falling out of first place in the Western Conference. Vancouver doesn’t have key contributors Brian White, Jayden Nelson and Sebastian Berhalter due to Gold Cup international duty.
Sabbi scored in the 20th minute with an exceptional effort, starting a counterattack with a midfield steal before controlling Jeevan Badwal’s pass in midair on the run and scoring his first goal since April 12.
Backup goalkeeper David Ochoa made his first appearance for LAFC in place of Hugo Lloris, who got the day off after playing the entire Club World Cup.
Olivier Giroud is parting ways with LAFC after one disappointing year with the club.
The 38-year-old Giroud and LAFC announced the decision Friday on social media. He will play in his final match Sunday night at home against Vancouver.
After scoring only five goals in 37 matches for LAFC, Giroud will become a free agent after his departure. He is widely expected to join Lille, which finished fifth in the French league last season, on a free transfer.
“I want to thank all of the fans, my teammates and the staff at LAFC for making this an enjoyable stop in my career,” Giroud said in a statement. “I am happy to have played a part in the success of LAFC. From winning a trophy last season to participating in the Club World Cup, this has been a great experience in LA for me and my family.”
Giroud joined LAFC in July 2024 as a designated player after a long European career highlighted by prolific tenures with Arsenal and Chelsea. The top goal-scorer in the history of France’s national team was expected to provide dynamic offense alongside MLS stars and fellow Frenchmen Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris.
Instead, Giroud clearly struggled to adapt to the MLS game and to LAFC’s counter-attacking style under coach Steve Cherundolo. LAFC also failed to figure out ways to involve Giroud in the offense consistently, unable to provide service to one of the sport’s most dangerous finishers earlier in his career.
Giroud usually played as a substitute for LAFC, and he didn’t score his first MLS goal until last April 19. He did find the net in big moments, scoring in the U.S. Open Cup final last season and in the Leagues Cup final.
“Olivier has been an exemplary professional during his time at LAFC,” general manager John Thorrington said. “He brought humility and a winning mentality that helped elevate everyone around him. Olivier has been a tremendous ambassador for the club on and off the field. We are grateful for his contributions.”
LAFC is suddenly a team in full transition after a winless three-game run at the Club World Cup earlier this month. Cherundolo already has announced he will leave the club to move back to Germany after the season, and LAFC could be down to Bouanga as its only designated player by next month.
LAFC added Dutch winger Javairô Dilrosun on loan from Club América earlier this month, but the loan is only through July 24. Dilrosun replaced Cengiz Ünder, whose disappointing MLS tenure ended this month.
LAFC’s lengthy pursuit of Antoine Griezmann also came up fruitless earlier this month when the French star extended his contract with Atlético Madrid through 2027.
LAFC (7-4-5) still sits sixth in the Western Conference standings with two or three games in hand on every club above it, and it has an infusion of cash from beating América in a play-in match to reach the Club World Cup.
PORTO manager Martin Anselmi is reportedly set to be sacked after the club’s dismal Club World Cup form.
Porto failed to win a single game in the competition as they were dumped out in the group stages – sparking angry reaction from fans.
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Martin Anselmi is reportedly set to be sacked by PortoCredit: Reuters
Anselmi, 39, was only appointed in January, but Portuguese outlet CMTV have reported that he is now set to be dismissed.
The manager is said to already be aware he will be sacked, despite his current deal running until 2027.
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Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea are facing a horror draw after losing to Flamengo and must bounce back against ES Tunis
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Nicolas Jackson was shown a red card just FOUR MINUTES after coming on as a sub
ES Tunis qualified for the CWC via the Confederations of African Football rankings, after Al Ahly won the CAF Champions League three times in the qualifying period.
They could even secure themselves a shock knockout spot with an upset win against the Blues.
A stunning win over LAFC has them level on points with Chelsea in Group D.
The Blues qualified after their Champions League win in 2021 – and for the first time in the competition, will not come up against a member of the 2021 winning squad.
Club World Cup 2025 Guide
SOME of the world’s biggest clubs are in action at this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States!
Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13.
The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US.
BENFICA’s Club world Cup clash with Auckland City has suffered a huge hold-up – as fans run for cover from predicted lightning.
Organisers warned there could be a delay of more than an hour – with the Portuguese giants 1-0 up on the brink of half-time.
One warning predicted “excessive lightning2 in the area of the Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
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A weather warning was flashed up at the venue
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Cristiano Ronaldo guided Portugal to Nations League glory earlier this monthCredit: SHUTTERSTOCK
“Maybe he’ll have to watch on TV.”
Speed leapt to the defence of Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, insisting the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will guide Portugal to glory in the 2026 World Cup.
Watch IShowSpeed’s X-rated meltdown after police block him from seeing Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2024
Aguero sarcastically then asked the 20-year-old: “[Ronaldo] just won the [Euros] no?
Messi, alongside Luis Suarez and Co, will kick-off the tournament, as Inter Miami host Al Ahly FC at the Hard Rock Stadium in the tournament opener.
The Premier League will be represented by Chelsea and Man City, with the Blues having won the competition in 2021, and the Citizens two years later in 2023.
Pep Guardiola’s side also come into the tournament as defending champions, as Real Madrid won the inaugural FIFA International Cup, which replaced the Club World Cup on the footballing calendar.
How to watch the Club World Cup for FREE in the UK
The Club World Cup will stream LIVE in DAZN for FREE in the UK.
23 matches from the tournament can also be watched on free-to-air Channel 5 and My5.
The tournament will take place between Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, July 13.
The first game between Inter Miami and Al Ahly FC will take place at 1am BST on Sunday, June 15 in the UK.
The tournament will be live from the USA, ahead of the World Cup being held there in 2026.
When is the Club World Cup 2025?
The Club World Cup will take place over the course of a month between June and July.
The tournament is set to kick-off on Saturday, June 14 from the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, As Inter Miami take on Al Ahly FC.
The clash will be at 1am BST on Sunday, June 15 in the UK.
The final of the tournament will be on Sunday, July 13 at 8pm BST from the MetLife Stadium in New York.
And after helping LAFC win a playoff to replace Club Leon, Lloris will be between the sticks for the Group D opener against Chelsea on June 16.
But his presence is sure to reignite the Blues’ capital rivalry with Spurs.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see the World’s best players decide which club is the greatest
CB: SERGIO RAMOS (MONTERREY)
Having led Real Madrid to four Club World Cups in the past, Ramos will be feeling confident he can help Mexican side Monterrey get far this summer.
The centre-back is already captaining the team just four months after joining following spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla.
But at 39 years of age, Ramos has shown he has still got what it takes to boss a defence.
And he will need to be at his best to help Monterrey get past Inter Milan and River Plate in Group E.
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Ex-Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos is in townCredit: Getty
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He is now captain of Mexican side MonterreyCredit: Getty
CB: THIAGO SILVA (FLUMINENSE)
Once a Chelsea icon, always a Chelsea icon.
Even at 40 years old, Silva would still likely walk back into the Blues’ XI.
Instead, he is king of the hill at Fluminense, saving them from relegation in his first season.
And Silva’s know-how should help the Brazilians get out of a group which includes German giants Borussia Dortmund.
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Thiago Silva became an icon at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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The veteran is starring for FluminenseCredit: Alamy
CB: NICOLAS OTAMENDI (BENFICA)
A two-time Premier League winner with Man City, Otamendi has gone on to win more trophies since leaving the Etihad.
Having now completed five seasons at Benfica, the 37-year-old has a Portuguese league title to boot.
And he even played a key role in Argentina’s World Cup win in 2022.
Otamendi is just one of several big forgotten names playing at Benfica, who are in a tough group with Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors.
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Nicolas Otamendi has won plenty since leaving Man CityCredit: Reuters
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He has spent five seasons at BenficaCredit: Getty
RWB: JOAO CANCELO (AL-HILAL)
Once regarded as the best full-back in world football, Cancelo’s fall from grace was swift after starring at giants including Inter Milan, Juventus, Man City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
He is now playing in Saudi Arabia, earning a fortune with moneybags Al-Hilal.
At the age of 31, Cancelo is still playing in his prime years.
And he will be looking to inflict damage when Al-Hilal come up against reigning champions Real Madrid in Group H.
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Joao Cancelo will be hoping to upstage old side Man CityCredit: Getty
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The right-back plays for Al-Hilal in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
CM: ANDER HERRERA (BOCA JUNIORS)
It’s been six years since Herrera, 35, lit up Old Trafford in a Manchester United shirt.
His tenacity in midfield endeared him to supporters while raking in FOUR trophies including the FA Cup and Europa League.
After playing for PSG and a second spell at Athletic Bilbao, Herrera now finds himself in Argentina with Boca Juniors.
But just six appearances in all competitions since his January switch means Herrera may not be guaranteed a starting spot in the US.
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Ander Herrera won four trophies at Man UtdCredit: Getty – Contributor
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He joined Argentine side Boca Juniors in JanuaryCredit: Getty
CM: RUBEN NEVES (AL-HILAL)
Why he was not snapped up by a fellow Premier League club while at Wolves remains a mystery.
Neves, 28, is only entering his prime now and continues to be a key player for Portugal.
Yet he finds himself playing in Saudi with Al-Hilal, completing a shock move two years ago before leading them to a Treble last season.
Neves would still walk into most European squads and could attract interest with some strong Club World Cup performances — but that’s only if he wants to leave the riches of the Middle East.
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Ruben Neves was a star man at WolvesCredit: Getty
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He has spent two years at Al-HilalCredit: Getty
LWB: ALEX TELLES (BOTAFOGO)
A miserable time at Manchester United saw Telles, 32, fail to live up to the hype as one of Europe’s best left-footers.
After winning trophies galore at Galatasaray and Porto, he left Old Trafford empty-handed after just two years.
But he has enjoyed plenty of success since then, winning trophies at Sevilla, Al-Nassr and now Botafogo.
The Brazilian champs are coming in with a host of experienced homegrown talents and Telles’ deadly free-kicks are likely to cause some damage.
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It didn’t work out for Alex Telles at Man UtdCredit: AFP
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He has helped Botafogo win the Brazilian titleCredit: Getty
CAM: ANGEL DI MARIA (BENFICA)
Man United’s flop winger is returning to boyhood Argentina club Rosario Central this summer — but only after he leads out Benfica for the final time at the Club World Cup.
Ignoring his duff sole season in the north west, Di Maria’s record means he will go down as one of football’s most talented and decorated wingers ever.
His two years at Benfica have not yielded any trophies, however.
And Di Maria, 37, will be desperate to make amends before leaving Europe for good.
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Angel Di Maria’s struggles at Man Utd are well documentedCredit: Getty
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He is leaving Benfica for Rosario Central after the Club World CupCredit: Getty
ST: EDINSON CAVANI (BOCA JUNIORS)
Another former United player, Cavani will feel he did not do himself justice during his two seasons in England.
Having also struggled at Valencia, the 38-year-old is now leading the way for Argentine giants Boca Juniors
20 goals in 39 games last year showed Cavani still has an eye for goal.
And although his pace may have gone, the experienced Uruguayan’s sheer physicality and clever movement will surely see him in the mix for the Golden Boot.
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Edinson Cavani had a mixed two years at Man UtdCredit: PA
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He now bangs in goals for Boca JuniorsCredit: AFP
ST: OLIVIER GIROUD (LAFC)
Last but not least, Giroud will face off against old side Chelsea later this month.
His extra-time assist helped LAFC book their place at the tournament ahead of Club America.
Giroud has already become a talisman for his Californian side, preferring the role of creator to goalscorer.
And his cunning know-how could help the experienced poacher nick a goal when he faces off against a young Blues defence.
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Olivier Giroud will face old side Chelsea in the group stageCredit: Getty
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He helped LAFC qualify for the tournament with a last-gasp assistCredit: Getty
NEW Laws and new tech – meaning the Club World Cup will look unlike any football tournament we’ve seen before.
Fifa has decided to bring in all the Law tweaks agreed at the International FA Board meeting in Belfast in February for their new flagship.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s name is on one adjustmentCredit: Alamy
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This impressive trophy will be up for grabs in the USACredit: Getty
That means the “five second countdown”, with referees raising their hand to tell goalkeepers to release the ball or see a corner awarded to the opposing team.
The latest live trials, in South America’s Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, saw just TWO incidents where the glovemen exceeded the maximum eight seconds with the ball “under control”.
Fifa will also enforce the “captain’s only” rule for talking to referees, with yellow cards for any players who offend.
The so-called “Arteta rule”, meaning no further punishment other than an indirect free-kick if coaches or substitutes accidentally touch the ball before it goes out of play, will also be invoked for the first time.
As will a new penalty rule, where “double touches” – players unintentionally hitting the ball against their own foot or leg – will bring a retake if the spot kick is converted, rather than being disallowed.
But just as eye-opening will be the technology applied for the first time in competitive play, as Fifa pushes new barriers.
The biggest will be using the latest, AI-aided semi-automated offside technology, where a signal will automatically go to the assist referee when a player breaking the defensive line and more than just four INCHES offside plays the ball.
Rugby fans have become used to “ref cams”, attached to the official’s chest and giving an intimate view of scrums.
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You can watch every CWC game for free if you sign up for DAZN
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Whistlers will get their own bodycamsCredit: Getty
But Ifab approved football to go down the same path, with the cameras at eye level, attached to the referee’s VAR communication device.
While “live” shots will not be broadcast during play, they will be available to give fans, both at home and in stadiums, the chance to see goals and other incidents from the ref’s perspective.
Bayern Munich leave in new kit for Club World Cup
Conversations between refs and VARs can still only be broadcast after a match has finished but supporters inside the grounds will be able to view the images for pitchside monitor reviews at the same time as the officials themselves.
And there will be no excuses for messed-up substitutions, with coaching teams handed a tablet to input player changes directly, rather than having to hand written notes to the fourth official.
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VAR is one of the ‘older’ forms of technology at the CWCCredit: Alamy
SOME of the world’s biggest clubs are heading Stateside for a MAMMOTH Club World Cup.
Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13.
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane will be showing their skills to packed crowds across the US.
Los Blancos are favourites to lift the trophy in New York but will face stiff competition from around the globe.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the tournament…
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There will be 63 matches for fans to sink their teeth into, and 23 of them will be on Channel 5 after they teamed up with American broadcaster Dazn for the coverage rights.
Channel 5 also confirmed it would show highlights of every match across its social accounts and YouTube channel.
And the broadcaster has also announced some of the top talent who will be seen to help viewers digest the action.
Presenters across the games will include Olivia Buzaglo, Ade Oladipo, Kelly Somers and James Richardson.
The punditry list is far more extensive and includes top former professionals such as Ronaldo, John Obi Mikel, Sami Khedira, Shay Given, Callum Wilson, Kleberson, Christian Vieri, Mamadou Sakho, Lianne Sanderson and more.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano will also be present during the coverage.
Match commentators will include Conor McNamara, Rich Wolfenden, Dan O’Hagan, Mike Minay, Pete Odgers, Brandon Smith, Joe Speight, Jess Charman.
Meanwhile, co-commentators will be Andros Townsend, Michael Brown, Brad Friedel, Rob Green, Danny Higginbotham, Don Hutchison, Jonas Olsson, Anita Asante.
Channel 5’s coverage will see them broadcast two of Chelsea‘s and Manchester City’s group games.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see the World’s best players decide which club is the greatest
They will then have half of each of the games from the knockout stages; four out of eight Last-16 games, two out of four quarter-finals games and one semi-final game, before the final.
A £775million prize pot is being split between the 32 teams competing in the tournament.
Teams can earn £1.5m for winning a single game during the group stages, while a draw is worth £800,000.
Reaching the knockouts will earn a club £5.8m, with that figure booming to £10.1m for an appearance in the quarters and then £16.2m for the semi-finals.
The winner of the cup will win a colossal £30m, while the runner up gets £23.2, although the winning club could in theory earn up to £97m for their participation.
IN the wee small hours of Sunday at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain’s players were celebrating the greatest achievement of their lives.
Paris Saint-Germain won their first Champions League crown on SaturdayCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Luis Enrique will take his side to the Club World Cup in the USCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
But if Luis Enrique and his side had wanted to put their feet up and bask in this ultimate glory, then they were sadly mistaken.
Almost immediately after their 5-0 win, Enrique and his stars would be peppered with questions about their prospects at the Club World Cup — a 32-team, month-long tournament designed to carpet-bomb TV schedules with even more football, starting on Sunday week.
Does the Club World Cup now represent ultimate glory, rather than the Champions League?
Is that, in the words of Finchy in The Office, ‘the real quiz’?
Because football — even in the odd-numbered summers which used to give us a brief respite from the thing — must never, ever rest.
And so next week, PSG will go to America, where they will play the Urawa Red Diamonds, The Last Shadow Puppets and the Seattle Sounders — only one of which is really the name of an English band.
And on Sunday week, Bayern Munich will play Auckland City in Cincinnati.
And there is nothing we can do to stop them playing. Even though we already know Bayern Munich are significantly better than Auckland City.
And Harry Kane will play. Even though his body is creaking.
Chelsea finally discover Club World Cup opponents as former star, 38, assists dramatic winner to set up reunion
Even though he hasn’t had a proper rest in years. Even though he surely can’t think of anything worse than having to play Auckland City.
Because Fifa are offering $1BILLION in prize money.
And two days later, you can watch in HD as Ulsan HD of South Korea play Mamelodi Sundowns, who are possibly an indie band who have an afternoon slot on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, or might be a football team from Pretoria in South Africa
Because in football there must be no sundown. Only the Mamelodi Sundowns.
And Manchester City and Chelsea will be there too, due to some convoluted Uefa qualification system which it’s best not to ask about.
And Inter Miami will be there — not because of any system but because they employ Lionel Messi, who turns 38 this month and must be tired but must never, ever rest.
And the whole thing will go on for every bit as long as an actual World Cup, with countries, used to go on for.
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The Club World Cup is set to commence on Sunday weekCredit: AFP
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Lionel Messi will play in the revamped tournamentCredit: Getty
Although not as long as next year’s actual World Cup, which will have 48 nations and 104 matches in it and will go on for even longer.
Oh and there will still be a third-place play-off.
Because what else would we do with ourselves on Saturday July 18, 2026, if we couldn’t watch another game of football between two utterly deflated, exhausted teams?
But that doesn’t matter because, after the worst season in their modern history, United’s players travelled 14,000 miles to play post-season friendlies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong so that the club could fulfil £10million worth of sponsorship commitments.
And yes ‘net zero’ is supposed to be an environmental policy rather than United’s goalscoring output against the ASEAN All-Stars. During the half-time interval of that 1-0 defeat in Malaysia, Andre Onana, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot were substituted so they could board a private jet to Mumbai to promote Apollo tyres.
Because people in Mumbai will choose Apollo tyres if an error-prone Cameroonian goalkeeper tells them to.
And Michelin and Bridgestone and Pirelli won’t get a look in, just so long as Dalot presses home Apollo’s core messages, which are ‘Going The Distance’ and ‘Conquer Every Road’.
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Man Utd played two post-season friendlies in AsiaCredit: AP
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Harry Kane seemingly never gets a summer offCredit: AP
While Maguire was flying to India, to tell people that ‘the journey is as important as the destination’, Amad Diallo was still in Malaysia, where he was giving the middle finger to a fan who had apparently abused his mother.
And then issuing a social-media apology, in which he said he didn’t actually regret giving the finger.
Because it isn’t enough that Amad’s mother is abused during the football season.
She needs to be abused during the close season as well. And her son needs to retaliate.
Because there needs to be online content and, if the internet never sleeps, then why should football sleep, along with its content-creating by-product, the abuse of really tired footballers?
Last year, Tottenham and Newcastle made a 21,000-mile round trip to Melbourne to play each other, six weeks after they had previously done so. And the Toon won on penalties.
But is that really enough, when these footballers travelled in first-class luxury and stayed in excellent hotels?
The BBC’s Race Across The World is an extraordinarily successful TV show because contestants must travel on overnight buses and then muck out animals to raise extra cash.
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Man Utd lifted the Defining Education Challenge Cup after beating Hong KongCredit: Getty
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Tottenham played Newcastle in Melbourne in May 2024Credit: Getty
Why shouldn’t footballers do the same on post-season and pre-season tours? Wouldn’t that provide better content?
This Saturday, England will play a competitive match against Andorra, which won’t be competitive.
And next Tuesday, England will play Senegal, when they won’t really be England because so many of their players will be heading to the Club World Cup.
But it’s not as if we’d have to wait long for football without this new thing.
Because why wouldn’t we want to watch Bournemouth play Everton in July — even if, when the fixtures come out in a fortnight, we might find out that they are playing each other in August?
The thing is, Bournemouth versus Everton has been far too parochial until now.
When Bournemouth are at home, only 11,000 people get in to watch it.
What about the blue-collar workers of New Jersey, the people Bruce Springsteen writes ballads about?
Don’t they deserve their fix of Bournemouth versus Everton, instead of just shotgun, teenage weddings and dreaming about escaping from small towns on motorbikes, kind of stuff?
And the answer is, yes, they do deserve Bournemouth versus Everton. Just like you deserve Red Bull Salzburg, the second best team in Austria, versus CF Pachuca, the eighth best team in Mexico.
That one’s on Wednesday June 18 at 11pm. Followed by Al-Ain versus Juventus at 2am.
Eyes down, look in. We’ll sleep when we’re dead.
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Fans in the US will be able to get a glimpse of James TarkowskiCredit: Getty
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Bournemouth are set to be a hit across the pondCredit: Getty
Fellow Liga MX side CF Pachuca — also owned by Grupo Pachuca — had already qualified for the Club World Cup, forcing Leon to withdraw.
And it meant that another Mexican side, Club America, were handed a dramatic playoff against MLS club LAFC.
The Americans were trailing 1-0 with just minutes to go when they equalised in the 89th minute.
LAFC then scored an amazing winner in the 115th minute through Denis Bouanga, with former Chelsea star and Champions League winner Olivier Giroud creating the goal for 2-1.
Now, the Frenchman will face his former side with LAFC in the opening group stage game on June 16.
Chelsea will then play Flamengo four days later on June 20.
And five days after that, on June 25, Chelsea end their group stage experience against Esperance.
The Club World Cup will be one of the most lucrative tournaments going, with the winner set to bank a mind-blowing £100million.
From embarrassing Chelsea pal to interview with dad – Five times Cole Palmer stole show AFTER Conference League finals
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Chelsea will take on LAFC and former striker Olivier GiroudCredit: AFP
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He bagged a late assist as LAFC dramatically beat Club America in a playoff
And Chelsea will be desperate to keep the good times rolling after ending a three-year trophy drought against Real Betis on Wednesday.
The Blues came back from a goal down to win 4-1 in Warsaw.
It came just days after they secured a fourth-place finish to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
And new signings are already inbound, with Chelsea reportedly beating Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton in the race for £30m Ipswich striker Liam Delap.
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Giroud won the Champions League during his time at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
None of those games were worth as much as the team’s upcoming match.
Literally.
Next up for LAFC is the $10-Million Game, in which it will play Mexico’s Club América on Saturday at Banc of California to determine the final entrant in the Club World Cup. The 32-team tournament, which will be staged across the United States from mid-June to mid-July, has a record-breaking billion-dollar prize pool.
By simply qualifying for the event and playing in three group-stage matches, LAFC would be entitled to a participation fee of $9.55 million.
That might not be considered a significant prize for the Dodgers or Lakers, but it’s a major bounty for LAFC, which had a payroll of about $20 million last season.
“We know what’s at stake,” LAFC co-president John Thorrington said.
Imagine that, a Major League Soccer team playing a game with real consequences. The stakes are unusually high for a team in a league in which 18 of 30 teams reach the postseason and the threat of relegation is non-existent.
Real money will be on the line.
That’s money that could go toward covering the transfer fee or salary of the team’s next signature player, as one of LAFC’s three designated-player slots could open this summer.
Thorrington preferred to emphasize the symbolic importance of LAFC reaching the Club World Cup, how it would move the team one step closer to its long-stated ambition of becoming a global brand.
“The conversation here is not dominated by the financial benefit here, but rather the competitive opportunity that this game and the tournament present,” Thorrington said.
If LAFC advances to the Club World Cup, its opening game will be against Chelsea of the English Premier League. The other group-stage games would be against ES Tunis of Tunisia and Flamengo of Brazil.
“I think it would be something special,” defender Eddie Segura said in Spanish.
The tournament could also be a wake-up call for MLS, which has two other teams in the competition in Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders. The league has a salary cap, as well as paint-by-numbers roster compliance rules that permit minimal flexibility on how its teams can spend money. Soccer is a sport in which teams are only as good as their weakest links, but the regulations force clubs to construct top-heavy rosters.
As it was, the financial restrictions were already handicapping MLS teams in its competitions against its Mexican counterparts, with LAFC relying on its smarts instead of the economic might of its deep-pocketed owners to reach two Champions League finals. Now, MLS teams will be taking on opponents with virtually unlimited budgets. Just two years ago, Chelsea spent more than a billion dollars buying players in a single transfer window.
The Club World Cup’s cash prizes offer MLS a powerful incentive to loosen its rules. Group-stage wins are worth $2 million each. Teams will be paid $7.5 million for reaching the round of 16. The champion will take home more than $100 million.
The payouts could also force MLS to make changes to its collective bargaining agreement, which was signed when the Club World Cup was still a seven-team tournament. Under the current CBA, LAFC’s players would divide $1 million, with the remainder of the $9.55 million participation fee staying with the club.
Segura said the players are engaged in talks over their compensation.
“The club would benefit a lot, but I hope that we as players, as the ones who are there giving everything, will also have a chance to benefit,” Segura said.
The upcoming game has also offered LAFC a firsthand view of FIFA’s operations.
LAFC’s and Club América’s opportunity came at the expense of León, which was removed from the Club World Cup field because it was owned by the same group that owned another Mexican team in the tournament, Pachuca.
León qualified for the tournament by defeating LAFC in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final. Rather than award León’s place to LAFC, FIFA basically invented a play-in game out of thin air, calling on LAFC to take on Club América, which was the region’s highest-ranked team that wasn’t already in the tournament.
LAFC was at least granted a chance. The Galaxy won the MLS Cup last season, but Inter Miami received the place reserved for the host nation before the MLS playoffs even started. The purported reason was that Inter Miami had the league’s best regular-season record. However, the widespread suspicion was that FIFA wanted Lionel Messi in the tournament.
After all, money is what is driving this tournament and money is what is driving the sport.
