Soccer

Manchester City to face Juventus in Club World Cup group stage

Expanded 32-team competition will take place in the United States next summer

Manchester City players and manager Pep Guardiola celebrate after winning the Fifa Club World Cup against Brazilian side Fluminese at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last December. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City players and manager Pep Guardiola celebrate after winning the Fifa Club World Cup against Brazilian side Fluminese at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last December. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images)
Thu Dec 05 2024 - 20:34

Premier League champions Manchester City have been drawn with Juventus, Morocco’s Wydad AC and Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates in Group G for next year’s Fifa Club World Cup in the United States.

Lionel Messi and Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami are in Group A and will face Al Ahly of Egypt in the opening match of the expanded 32-team tournament before games against Porto and Palmeiras.

The tournament, featuring top teams from around the world, will be held in 12 stadiums around the United States from June 15th-July 13th and serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

Manchester City won the most recent Club World Cup in 2023 under the old format and sit fourth in the Premier League after being hit hard by injuries to key players such as Spanish midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner Rodri.

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City, who this year won an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title, will face Wydad AC in their opening match and Al Ain before closing out the group stage against Juventus.

Miami were the penultimate team added to the tournament after winning the Supporters’ Shield for finishing top of the MLS standings in the regular season before losing in the first round of the MLS playoffs last month.

European champions Real Madrid will face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Mixican side Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in Group H while Bayern Munich were placed in Group C along with Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica.

Three-times European champions Inter Milan landed in Group E along with River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds and Monterrey while Paris St Germain, who this year won a third consecutive French top-flight title, are in Group B with Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders.

Brazilian side Botafogo only secured the final spot in the tournament last week by winning their first Copa Libertadores title.

Chelsea will begin Group D play against Mexican side Leon before facing Flamengo and Esperance of Tunisia, while Group F is made up of Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024