Ahead of the draw of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Gelson Fernandes, FIFA Director of Member Associations in charge of Africa, has reiterated that the expanded competition will provide a unique opportunity for the 32 participating teams including the African torchbearers.

The draw for the tournament will take place on 5 December 2024 in Miami, USA, where the four African participants - Al Ahly (Egypt), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) and Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) – will learn their fate.

Fernandes, who doubles as the FIFA Deputy Chief Member Associations Officer, said the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 “is a real opportunity” and provides a level playing field for the participants, representing all six confederations.

UEFA will parade 12 clubs, six from CONMEBOL, four each from AFC and CONCACAF with OFC having one slot just as one representative from the host country.

“When you are a very big European club, this new competition could seem like a form of routine. But football does not stop at Europe, at a specific region.

“For the other participating teams, and as you know the Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, it is a real chance to face the greatest, under the eyes of the whole world,” he told French regional daily, Ouest-France in an interview.

European champions Real Madrid, German duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, Italian heavyweights Inter Milan and Juventus, French champions Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate are among the confirmed clubs, and Fernandes revealed the line-up of teams as every player’s wish.

“I know what I am talking about: I was lucky enough to play in the World Cup three times with Switzerland. It is a unique competition, which marks a career,” added the former defensive midfielder who donned the colours of Switzerland in three successive FIFA World Cups between 2010 and 2018.

“This Club World Cup can have the same role: Competing to become a World Champion. I am very sensitive to emotions, and they deserve to be experienced by all the clubs in the world.”

Re-echoing the remarks by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the CAF Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last October regarding making club football the cynosure of all, Fernandes said “making football truly global and accessible to all is the very aim of FIFA. I am sure that we are going to witness a great spectacle”.

Scheduled for 15 June – 13 July 2025, matches will take place in 12 cities across the USA namely Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Jersey, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington DC.

Meanwhile, three of the African participants braced up for the draw with their involvement in the opening day of the group phase of the CAF Champions League. Holders Ahly thumped Ivorian newcomers Stade d’Abidjan 4-1 in Cairo, whilst Esperance overpowered Djoliba of Mali 4-0 in Rades. Elsewhere in Pretoria, Sundowns were held to a barren draw by visiting Gabonese side Maniema all on Tuesday.

Wydad are the only team out of quartet not involved in continental action. However, the Reds will take consolation from the 1-1 draw with archrivals Raja Club Athletic in the Casablanca derby at the weekend.