Published on
September 14, 2025 at 7:00:00 AM PDT September 14, 2025 at 7:00:00 AM PDTth, September 14, 2025 at 7:00:00 AM PDT
Tips From The Pros
Bill Squires served 12 years as a naval aviator in the United States Navy. In 1987, he entered the sports facilities and events management business and has held top-level positions with Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium, Huntington Bank Stadium, and ESPN Wide World of Sports. Bill has a consulting business that focuses on sports venues and events. He is a member of the Sports League Sports Council, which works with the Department of Homeland Security on security issues involving the safety and security of sports and entertainment venues. Bill is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and has taught the Sports Facilities and Events Management course in the School of Professional Studies (graduate program) since 2007. He began teaching a new course, Sustainability in Sports: Theory and Practice, in 2024.2025 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, also known as FIFA Club World Cup 25, was the first expanded edition of the tournament, featuring 32 teams from six confederations. It was held in the United States from June 14th to July 13th, 2025. Chelsea won the tournament, defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Here’s a more detailed look at the event:
Key Details:
- Format: The tournament adopted a new format with 32 teams, similar to the FIFA World Cup, replacing the previous 7-team format.
- Location: The United States hosted the tournament across 12 venues in 11 cities.
- Dates: The competition took place from June 14th to July 13th, 2025.
- Champions: Chelsea won the tournament, securing their second FIFA Club World Cup title.
- Final: The final was held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0. Chelsea won an estimated $114.6 million.
Participating Teams:
- The tournament included the continental champions from the past four years, along with additional qualified teams.
- Thirty-two teams from six confederations participated:
- UEFA (Europe – 12 teams): Chelsea (England), Manchester City (England), Bayern Munich (Germany), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), FC Salzburg (Austria), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Benfica (Portugal), Porto (Portugal), Atletico (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain), Inter Milan (Italy), and Juventus (Italy).
- CONMEBOL (South America – 6 teams): Botafogo (Brazil), Flamengo (Brazil), Fluminense (Brazil), Palmeiras (Brazil), Boca Juniors (Argentina), and River Plate (Argentina).
- CONCACAF (North America, South America, and Caribbean - 5 teams): LAFC (USA), Inter Miami (USA), Seattle Sounders (USA), Monterrey (Mexico), and Pachuca (Mexico).
- CAF (Africa – 4 teams): Wydad AC (Morocco), Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Al Ahly (Egypt), and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).
- AFC (Asia - 4 teams): Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Al Ain (Abu Dhabi), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), and Ulsan HD FC (South Korea).
- OFC (Oceania – 1 team): Auckland City (New Zealand).
Venues:
- MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
- Audi Field (Washington, NJ)
- Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
- Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL)
- Inter & CO Stadium (Orlando, FL)
- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
- TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)
- Geodis Park (Nashville, TN)
- Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
- Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
The venues in bold will host 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches.
Other notable aspects:
- The tournament featured 63 matches and attracted 2,491,462 spectators.
- The expanded format aims to create a more global representative and competitive tournament.
- The event was seen as a significant boost for the growth of football in North America.
I am the Chief Venues and Operations for the FIFA Men’s World Cup 26 New York New Jersey Host Committee. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will host eight matches, including the final. I attended the nine Club World Cup matches hosted at MetLife Stadium, including five Group Stage matches, one quarterfinal, both semi-finals, and the final matches. It was an excellent opportunity to observe and learn, furthering the preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
I focused on mass transportation to and from MetLife Stadium, as the mobility plan requires the movement of approximately 40,000 people within two hours after the conclusion of the matches. This massive movement has never been attempted before, but an excellent plan is in place. The visit by President Trump to the final match impacted traffic to and from MetLife Stadium, but since he is likely to attend the final match in 2026, it allows stakeholders to plan accordingly.
One of the lessons learned that needs to be addressed is heat mitigation. Most of the matches during the Club World Cup were held in the mid-afternoon when the temperatures were in the high 80s and low 90s.
The draw for the World Cup will take place on Friday, December 5th, and the match start times will be announced a few weeks later. The match start times are essential for mobility and heat mitigation planning. Although the planning for the World Cup has been ongoing for over two years, there is still much to be done.
I hope you and your loved ones had an enjoyable and safe summer
All the best!
Posted September 14, 2025