Club World Cup: Lionel Messi's Inter Miami named as MLS participant in 32-team tournament

Inter Miami, a team in Major League Soccer, has been officially announced as the newest participant in the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for 2025.

The larger tournament featuring 32 teams is set to take place in the United States in 2025, running from June 15 to July 3.

The competition will feature a total of 12 teams representing Europe, six from South America, and 12 from Asia, Africa, and North America. The last two entries will include one team from Oceania and one from the United States, which is also the host country.

Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, has secured a place in the competition after winning the MLS Supporters Shield. This accolade is granted to the team in the MLS that performs best during the regular season.

The news was revealed following Lionel Messi's impressive performance, where he netted three goals to assist Inter Miami in surpassing the regular-season points record in MLS.

"You've proven time and again that in the United States, you're the top team on the field," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

I'm thrilled to share the exciting news that, as one of the top clubs globally, you are worthy contenders for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.

Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez might face Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom have already secured their spots in the tournament.

Other European clubs include Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Porto, and Benfica.

The champion of the 2024 Copa Libertadores will secure the 32nd position in the tournament.

Games will take place at eight different locations throughout the United States, including Hard Rock Stadium, home to Inter Miami. The championship match will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA's choice to broaden the competition has faced backlash from teams and athletes, especially following UEFA's recent decision to extend the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League by adding two additional matches.

In July, the international players' organization Fifpro, along with the European Leagues organization representing 39 leagues and 1,130 clubs across 33 nations, submitted a collective complaint to the European Commission. They are calling out FIFA for what they see as an "abuse of power" within the sport.

The most recent tournament held in 2023 featured seven teams representing six different confederations, and it concluded with Manchester City taking home the trophy.

The complete draw for the Club World Cup will take place in December.