Football

The FIFA Club World Cup, an expanded tournament featuring 32 of the world's top club teams, will culminate in a grand finale at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, 2023. The stadium, home to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets, will also host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The inaugural edition of the expanded Club World Cup will kick off on June 15, with matches taking place at 12 venues across the United States. The tournament will run concurrently with the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be primarily held on the West Coast.The other venues selected for the Club World Cup include Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville), Camping World Stadium (Orlando), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).The draw for the tournament will be held in December, with 30 of the 32 participating teams already determined through qualification. The Club World Cup will feature title-winning teams from each of FIFA's continental confederations, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich from Europe, and River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo from South America.FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament as a testament to inclusivity and solidarity in global club football. He emphasized its potential to foster the growth of the sport and nurture talent worldwide.The Club World Cup will serve as a crucial test event ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a focus on security measures following crowd issues at recent Copa America matches in Charlotte and Miami.Despite facing some opposition from player unions and European leagues, FIFA remains committed to the expanded tournament, which it plans to hold every four years. The 2029 edition is yet to have a designated host.