FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
A City Guide to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
Welcome to the City Magazine FIFA World Cup special!
This is your complete guide to the tournament, featuring interviews with Pep Guardiola, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Ruben Dias.
We also have a Club World Cup explainer, a preview of our opposition and the stadiums we’ll be playing at.
There are also a couple of City Magazine regulars included, with Andy Morrison’s predictions, a themed Technical Area and a Random Match Generator.
You’ll also find details of how you can follow or watch the matches, the kit we’ll be wearing and a fascinating complete history of a tournament that started – in its earliest form – way back in 1887!
So, enjoy our special edition and remember, the June edition of our regular offering is also now available.
The Boss: Pep's aim
Pep Guardiola believes it is a privilege to be taking City to the FIFA Club World Cup, with the tournament relaunching with a new format on a much grander scale than ever before.
The Blues go to the USA as the current world champions having been the last team to win the competition in 2023.
After beating Fluminense in the final in Jeddah, Guardiola said: “I am so proud of this Club. What we have done is an outstanding achievement.
“To win this trophy is to be the best team in the world and our players, our coaches, our backroom staff, all of them work hard every single day to bring us this success.
“As a manager it is what I am most proud of; that we are always there. No matter how much we win, no matter what trophies we lift, we are there again to fight for the next one.
“To win the Treble was truly special, but to win two more trophies and hold these five major titles at the same time shows the unique mentality of this team, of the Club and its fans.
“It is something no other English team has ever achieved, and we will always remember this incredible time we spent together.”
That was then – this is now, and the boss is just as keen to retain the title of world champions.
There was no Club World Cup in 2024 as preparations began for the 2025 relaunch, and the City boss cannot wait to get going.
“It’s an honour because it means in the last seasons we have done really well, in the Champions League and in the domestic league. It’s a new competition and I’m looking forward to it,” said Pep.
One of the main things Guardiola enjoys is pitting his wits against managers and coaches from different federations, nations and playing styles.
It is a unique opportunity to face clubs that the Blues would normally never cross paths with, and it is a challenge the Catalan relishes.
“Even in domestic leagues, there are different managers, different cultures and different styles and ways to play,” said the boss.
“Of course, (at the Club World Cup) you could be playing a team from Oceania, from Asia, from South America…. there are different visions and different types of players and cultures. That’s nice.
“My influence from my previous managers helped me open my mind, especially my mentor Johan Cruyff. He opened my mind and helped me envision the way I’d play. I’m pretty sure without the influence from Johan Cruyff in my career as a football player, it would have been difficult to maybe become a manager.
“There are 31 other teams that want the same thing – to win it. Well, it would be nice, we cannot deny it. Normally when I start a competition – for example, the Premier League – I never want to start thinking, ‘Oh, we’re going to win. You have to win.’ It’s one step at a time.”
*Squad numbers confirmed are for Club World Cup only - the 2025/26 season squad numbers will be confirmed after the tournament.
New signing Rayan Ait-Nouri looks ahead to the FIFA Club World Cup…
Rayan Ait-Nouri says the opportunity to get his City career started so quickly at the FIFA Club World Cup is one he is relishing.
Our new left-back is likely to slot straight into the team at the tournament and he says it is the perfect start to life in sky blue – and that he is hoping to get his potential trophy collection off to a flying start.
“It will be a new challenge for me because it’s obviously not something I have played in before and I’m very excited to play in this competition – I am thrilled to play and hope we can do great things in the USA," said Ait-Nouri.
“Over the past few years, City have shown they were one of the best teams in the world, so to be able to play with these kind of players will make it easier and yeah, it’s one of the reasons I joined this club.
“There will be some amazing talents in this tournament, so it will be different, the conditions, venues and teams we will play are also different, but I'm very happy and hopefully we will make good things happen in the Club World Cup.”
Ait-Nouri’s arrival will add a new dimension to Pep Guardiola’s team and it will be fascinating to see how the Algerian slots in.
One of the Premier League’s most exciting attacking full-backs in recent years, Ait-Nouri is looking forward to testing himself alongside - and against - some of the best players in the world.
Along with the Club World Cup, the 24-year-old also can’t wait to play Champions League football next season.
“Yeah, I'm very excited and it will be a new challenge for me because before, I never played in the Champions League,” he smiled.
“I’ve obviously watched a lot of Champions League games and for me it will be a big difference because the games are in the week, but for sure it will be a great experience, and I can't wait to play in these competitions with this shirt.
“I am young. I can improve a lot. I need to learn to improve my football for sure, and for this I choose this big challenge because I know I can improve my football here with this kind of condition of this team and this manager, for sure I will improve my football.
“I want to win a lot of trophies and give everything for the team, for the badge, to be happy to play with my team-mates and with the coach and the staff.”
And, of course, one thing the Blues can now expect at the Club World Cup – and way beyond – is backing from a football crazy nation who follow their players in their millions.
City have been fortunate to have had Algerian stars before in Riyad Mahrez and Ali Benarbia, and Ait-Nouri is hoping for a similar reaction from the nation he plays international football for and one that it is in his blood.
“Before, when Riyad was here, there was a lot of Algerian fans supporting City and hopefully I will be able to add to that and do great things here," he smiled.
“I spoke with Riyad - I am with him in the national team, and he told me about the city itself, and to give everything for this club - one of the biggest clubs in the world - and I will try to follow him in a Manchester City shirt.”
Interview: David Clayton
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 explained
We know it can be daunting to see a new tournament and try to wrap your head around exactly how it’s going to work.
But never fear, we’re here to make it easy for anyone to understand!
Stick with us and before you know it, you’ll be the font of all knowledge amongst your mates...
FORMAT
You’ll recognise the format from recent editions of the international World Cup.
32 teams have been split into eight groups of four. Every team will play everyone else in their group once, with the top two progressing to the Round of 16.
From the Round of 16 onwards, it’s one-off knockout ties all the way until the trophy is handed out.
There will be extra time and penalties used in those knockouts if the tie isn’t decided after 90 minutes, so buckle up for a long night if we’re involved in any of those.
WHERE HAS THIS COME FROM?
The tournament replaces the previous version of the FIFA Club World Cup, which we won in Saudi Arabia in December 2023.
That format was played from 2000 through to 2023, with one side from each continent – plus often an invited guest from the host nation – battling it out in straight knockout ties.
This was often played in the middle of the European season. The side from each continent was usually the winner of the previous year’s elite continental competition – the UEFA Champions League in Europe for instance.
That competition has been renamed the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and will remain every season for the winner’s of the respective continental awards.
This bigger tournament will be played every four years from 2025 and involves a much larger cross section of those who have been successful in the four-year period leading up to the event.
WHO WILL CITY PLAY?
City have drawn in Group G alongside Wydad AC, Al Ain and Juventus.
Wydad AC are from Morocco and will be our first opponents in the group stage. We’ll play them at 17:00 (UK) on Wednesday 18 June at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Al Ain are based in Abu Dhabi and we’ll play them second. That game is at 02:00 (UK) on Monday 23 June at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Our final group game is against Italian giants Juventus, who we’ve faced before on European nights under the lights. That match starts at 20:00 (UK) on Thursday 26 June at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Should we go through as group winners, we’ll play the runners-up in Group H in the Round of 16. If we’re runners-up, we’ll play the winners of that group.
As a taster, Group H is made up of Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg.
Finish third or fourth in Group G and we’ll be coming home.
The path is already set to the final, so there will be no draws during the tournament.
But until the end of the group stage, there’s little point speculating as to who we could face if we’re to go deep into proceedings.
WHEN ARE THE KEY DATES?
The final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at 20:00 (UK) on Sunday 13 July.
To reach that, we’ll have to progress through one of the semi-finals at the same address on either Tuesday 8 or Wednesday 9 July.
The already iconic venue is set to become a footballing cathedral over the next 14 months as it will also play host to the international World Cup final in the summer of 2026.
WHO ELSE IS THERE?
City are one of two English sides at the tournament, with Chelsea taking up the other slot. Both sides qualified through winning the Champions League in 2023 and 2021 respectively.
There are 12 slots in total for European teams, with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid representing Spain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund from Germany, Inter and Juventus from Italy and Porto and Benfica from Portugal.
Paris Saint-Germain and Red Bull Salzburg round out the European contingent.
Perhaps excitingly for the European viewer, many of South America’s most iconic names are involved. Taking up their six slots are four Brazilian sides and two Argentinian behemoths.
Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo represent Brazil, while Boca Juniors and River Plate are the great rivals from Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires.
North America will have five sides representing them, with Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, Pachuca, LA FC and star-studded Inter Miami in attendance.
Africa and Asia have four slots each. Al Ahly, Wydad, Esperance de Tunis and Mamelodi Sundowns are from Africa with Al Hilal, Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain and Ulsan from Asia.
That leaves amateur New Zealand outfit Auckland City as Oceania’s sole representative having dominated both their national championship and the OFC Champions League.
HOW CAN I FOLLOW?
All 63 matches are free to watch from anywhere in the world on DAZN.
If you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, then the competition is part of your current membership.
To sign up for a free DAZN account now you only need an email address to register, with no hidden costs or fees.
You can then watch all the action on the DAZN App via smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, game consoles and web browsers.
Join now to be ready to watch DAZN’s coverage for free.
Every City match will be covered in full across mancity.com and our official app, with our usual offering of a Matchday Centre and Matchday Live followed by a match report, written and video reaction and highlights from the US.
Feature: Jack Mumford
One of our captains, Ruben Dias, looks at the challenges ahead in the newly-expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup…
I feel like it’s going to be very much like playing in the World Cup with our national teams, that kind of energy. Obviously, we know how rare it is to be involved in (a World Cup) and it’s just a special moment.
It’s a prestigious competition and the teams that are involved make the competition as big as it can get. The fact that teams from all over the world will have a good shot at (winning) will be exciting. We really want to win it.
At the end of the day, you just want to win. Period. But it will be a different challenge and one that is very much like the typical national World Cup because you will play against teams from different continents, completely different ways of seeing the game. The adaptation you’ll have to make will obviously be a big part of being successful.
Everyone who plays at this club, we want to win. It’s as simple as that.
We’ve been on tour in America before in pre-season, and we really felt the warmth. It is always special when we get the opportunity to play in front of fans that might not normally have the chance to watch us play live. It gives an extra flavour to it.
Being from Portugal, I’ve always been very influenced (by America). That’s in the music I listen to, the movies I watch, the comedy I’m used to appreciating and so on. Obviously, there are also a lot of beautiful places. It will be wonderful to be there.
Interview: David Clayton
STADIUMS GUIDE
Where the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played
This summer’s tournament will take place in 12 stadiums across 11 US cities.
With games on both coasts, football is looking to take America by storm between 14 June and 13 July.
City will be based in the east of the vast country, with our group games played in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando.
Should we progress that far, we’ll play in Florida and New Jersey all the way to the final.
With the games largely taking place in enormous stadia built for American football, there’s plenty of opportunity for thousands of fans to see the best sides in the world play competitively.
Having only been to one of the stadiums we’ll visit before, there’s so much for City fans to see for the first time too.
Here’s a rundown of the stadiums City could play in…
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
City’s games: Group G opener against Wydad AC, 18 June.
Capacity: 67,594
Tenants: Philadelphia Eagles. One of NFL’s leading sides and the current Super Bowl champions!
History: Opened in 2003 to replace the Eagles’ Veterans Stadium, the Lincoln Financial Field has been their home ever since. Incredibly, it’s one of few major NFL stadiums never to have hosted the Super Bowl.
It is however the primary home of annual Army-Navy American football game, while it has also hosted several pre-season football friendlies between European sides, matches in the 2003 Women’s World Cup and concerts from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Metallica to name but a few!
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
City’s games: Second game in Group G against Al Ain, 23 June (UK time).
Capacity: 75,000.
Tenants: Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta United (MLS).
History: Only opened in 2017, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a state-of-the-art facility with a retractable roof that looks like a bird’s wings when opened!
In a neat tradition, a train horn blares out around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium before every Falcons game as a nod to Atlanta’s railroad history.
Again, there have been plenty of Premier League sides visit in recent years although City have never played there.
Two matches in last year’s Copa America took place there, while there will be seven games in the 2026 World Cup at the venue.
As with the Lincoln Financial Field, it’s also hosted many of the biggest names in American pop music.
Camping World Stadium, Orlando
City’s games: Final game in Group G against Juventus, 26 June. If we win Group G, we’ll play our Round of 16 and quarter-final ties here on 30 June and 4 July respectively.
Capacity: 60,219.
Tenants: The Camping World Stadium has been the home to a total of 16 teams across American football and football, including one season of NWSL side Orlando Pride in 2016.
Their most recent tenant was minor American football team Orlando Guardians in 2023.
History: Initially opened in 1936, the stadium had undergone several name changes and expansions in the 89 years since. Five matches at the 1994 World Cup were played here, while City were visitors just last summer for a 2-2 friendly draw with Barcelona.
However, the stadium’s record attendance was set at Wrestlemania in 2008 when more than 75,000 were on site.
It has hosted many a popstar and in the weeks leading up to our game there, Shakira and K-pop band Stray Kids will both perform.
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
City’s games: If we’re runners up in Group G, we’ll play our Round of 16 tie here on 1 July.
Capacity: 64,767.
Tenants: Miami Dolphins (NFL) and Miami Hurricanes (college football).
History: Opened in 1987, the stadium was built with a wide field that made it easy to convert for soccer and baseball.
Given Six Super Bowls, two World Series and the 2024 Copa America final have all been played there, it’s well used to hosting some of the biggest events in sport.
Of course, that has also meant many of Europe’s best football teams have visited during pre-season. The stadium will play host to a whopping eight matches in this tournament and another seven for next year’s international World Cup.
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
City’s games: If we’re runners up in Group G, we’ll play our quarter-final here on 5 July. Both semi-finals (8 and 9 July) and the final (13 July) will be played here.
Capacity: 82,500.
Tenants: New York Giants and New York Jets (both NFL).
History: One of two stadiums used by two NFL stadiums, the MetLife is a jewel in the crown that has been open since 2010.
It has hosted 2014’s Super Bowl, two WrestleMania events and many international and club friendlies in our game.
It is scheduled to host eight matches in next year’s World Cup, including the final itself.
The other stadiums are:
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles)
GEODIS Park (Nashville)
Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando)
Lumen Field (Seattle)
Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)
Feature: Jack Mumford
FIFA Club World Cup Special
Our former skipper runs the rule of our group fixtures for the FIFA Club World Cup…
City v Wydad AC | Wednesday 18 June | 17:00 (UK)
Mozzer's verdict: The Blues’ first Group G clash is against Moroccan side Wydad AC and I have to be completely honest, I know so little about their current squad and form that it’s not easy to predict.
We’re not sure who will be playing in our starting XI, but we will be going to the US to win this lucrative competition so though I believe Wydad will be very good technically, they will struggle to keep our attack quiet.
Mozzer score prediction: City 4-1 Wydad
City v Al Ain FC | Sunday 22 June | 02:00 (UK)
Mozzer's verdict: Our next game is against UAE Pro League side Al Ain at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
We know that if we can win our two opening Group G matches, we are likely to progress to the Round of 16.
As with Wydad, it’s a difficult one to accurately know where Al Ain are in their levels of physicality and where their threat will come from.
For that reason, I have to go with a similar outcome to our first group game.
Mozzer score prediction: City 4-1 Al Ain
Juventus v City | Thursday 26 June | 20:00 (UK)
Mozzer's verdict: Our final game and most likely our toughest.
We don’t have a good record against Juventus, but they caught us in last season's Champions League during a tough period, so I don’t think they will beat us again.
We will have a clear picture of what is needed by the time this game is played, and I think it’s vital we finish top as the runners-up could face Real Madrid in the Round of 16.
With that in mind, we’ll be going full tilt at this – and I believe we will win.
Mozzer score prediction: City 3-1 Juventus
From unofficial competitions, confederation disagreements and many years of hopes and dreams of some of the game’s greatest innovators, the grandest version of the FIFA Club World Cup is finally about to become a reality. Here, we look at the chequered and often controversial history of a competition that has been 138 years in the making…
The notion of a world club cup stretches back as far as 1887 when FA Cup winners Aston Villa beat Scottish Cup winners Hibernian – hardly an international showpiece, but as the clubs were the only national champions in football at that time, the ‘Football World Championship’ had at least made a start!
It was a similar story in 1895, with league champions of England and Scotland meeting in the World Championship as Sunderland beat Hearts.
In 1909 and again in 1911, The Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was contested by English, Italian, German and Swiss clubs and won by West Auckland - an English amateur team – each time.
It wouldn’t be until 1951 that something resembling the ethos of the current Club World Cup was organised by the Brazilian FA, but issues with European clubs participating meant that the ‘Copa Rio’ became something of a watered down competition with Brazilian clubs taking the place of the European teams who did not take up their invitation.
Other invitational competitions popped up across South America over the next decade, though none with the official FIFA stamp of approval and similar Europe v South America exhibition games appeared in Paris and when Real Madrid won the Intercontinental Cup in 1960, the Spaniards declared themselves world champions - a title FIFA objected to on numerous grounds.
Variations continued, with the 1967 Intercontinental Cup becoming one of the most notorious match-ups in world football history – known as 'The Battle of Montevideo’ as Celtic took on Argentine side Racing. Over two legs, the aggregate score was 2-2 and a play-off in Uruguay was needed, which descended into a violent, out of control contest that left Celtic boss Jock Stein stating, "I would not bring a team to South America again for all the money in the world.”
Almost 300,000 fans had watched the games in three different countries and clearly there was a thirst for these kind of contests – albeit under more controlled conditions. FIFA again resisted calls to make the tournament official due to issues regulating a competition it had not organised.
CONMEBOL and FIFA were at loggerheads over various aspects and the Intercontinental Cup continued – as did violent clashes between South American clubs and European sides. French newspaper L’Equipe made repeated attempts to create a world cup for clubs, but the continued squabbling between various federations and it wouldn’t be until 2000 that the first official FIFA Club World Championship was finally contested.
It wasn’t held again until 2005, now as the FIFA Club World Cup, when it finally became an annual tournament on the world football calendar until 2023, when City claimed our first official champions of the world title.
The 2025 version of the tournament is undoubtedly the grandest and boldest yet, with the number of participating teams more than quadrupling from 7 to 32 and now being held every four years instead of annually.
The vision and efforts of so many, stretching back 138 years, has finally been realised and City will compete with the cream of world football to officially become club world champions for the second time.
FIFA, in particular, are hoping to create – at club football level – the greatest show on Earth outside the FIFA World Cup, as the complete vision of what this tournament can be finally comes to fruition.
And in doing so, at last fulfilling the vision, dreams and hopes of so many innovators over the years.
Words: David Clayton
When it comes to football teams being ready to partake in competitions such as this summer’s new Club World Cup, a squad’s attendance would not be possible without 'the team behind the team'.
Hannah Whipday and her colleagues have spent months planning for City’s inclusion in the highly anticipated competition, which starts in mid-June.
Countless hours of preparation, numerous Excel spreadsheets and planning for multiple scenarios has amounted to this month. And ahead of the competition, Hannah kindly agreed to sit down with City Magazine to detail the work of her and her team…
CITY MAG: Hannah, it’s great to catch up with you. First of all, when did you step into this role as Club World Cup Operations Manager?
HANNAH: I started this role back in January on a bit of a hybrid role and then transitioned fully to working on the Club World Cup in February.
CITY MAG: That’s a long time to plan for the June competition! What role were you in at City before this?
HANNAH: I’ve been at the Club since 2014. Before this Club World Cup role I worked in Fan Support, and I’ve been in various roles in that department. I initially oversaw a team who managed our phone calls and emails with fans and then I moved across to more of the ticket dispatch side of things. I was appointed Fan Operations and Success Manager. I essentially looked after the ticket fulfilment element and internal ticket requirements as well as looking after fan communications which means providing our fans with all the information, they need regarding their tickets and attending a match. And then the role I would say helped me the most in preparation for my current job was my time as Club Support Liaison Officer. Which I will return to when the CWC is finished.
I travelled for all our European games and was a point of contact for fans to support them whilst watching City abroad. So that was great getting to travel the world and meet fans and help them with their experiences.
CITY MAG: So, what does a day look like for you when planning for such a big competition?
HANNAH: Yeah so, the stage we’ve been at the past couple of months is just finalising the numbers behind how many members of staff will travel and the policies around travelling around the United States. I know that might sound very paperwork-heavy, but it’s vital in making sure everyone is safe and the welfare of everyone is at the front of all our decision-making. And we are also just making sure everything is ready for the next four weeks. Lots of people are flying out on different days and travelling to different destinations, so there is a lot to cover.
Our job is all about thinking of all the small details, so we’ve also been busy booking cars to take people places, booking rooms for kit to be stored and also planning for different routes should we progress from the group stage. Anything and everything, we have planned for it. And we now have the plans for what each day will look like with different activations and events around training and matches. We are just really excited to get out there now!
CITY MAG: There are a few different options for where City could be travelling should they progress through the group stage and there could be things that don’t quite go to plan which you almost can’t plan for, such as traffic. How do you deal with those unexpected twists and turns that come with competitions like these?
HANNAH: Well, the key thing first and foremost is to stay calm. A few things, like you said, could happen that will be out of our control, so we just roll with the situation as best as possible and in a way that impacts the players and coaching staff as little as possible because we want them to be able to focus on the football. The big thing for us really is that the competition format is knockout. We have no idea how far we’ll progress or where we will be playing next if we advance. We know what options they will be, but we can’t plan for a definitive destination until the games are done.
So, to help us with this we’ve planned for every scenario. We’ve got something in place for every outcome because you’ll only have a few days between each game to get everything finalised and confirmed with FIFA. And my team have been amazing with that; we are as prepared as we can be so we hope we will avoid too many issues while we’re present.
CITY MAG: And you’ll be out there for the entire length City are in the competition. Is there anything you’re particularly excited about?
HANNAH: I’ve travelled to the US a few times with the Club, and we’ve played in a lot of similar places to where the Club World Cup is, but a new one for us is Atlanta and getting to meet new fans in a different state to ones we’ve visited recently on tour.
But the thing I’d probably say I’m most excited for is that we could have a game on the 4th of July if we progress to the quarter-finals. I’ve never been in America during 4th July and it’s obviously such a huge holiday for them so I think it will be fun to be there and hopefully on gameday too, the atmosphere will be fantastic!
CITY MAG: Finally, do you have any travelling or planning advice for the travelling City fans who are coming to support the team over the summer and what events can they keep their eyes out for?
HANNAH: Yeah, so for travelling and attending the games, make sure you check you have everything you need and what rules the tournament has. For example, what size bags can you bring into the stadium, do you need to print tickets or have them downloaded on your phone.? That sort of thing. Understanding everything you need for the game will just make the moment so much more enjoyable.
And in terms of how they can be connected with the Club whilst at the competition, we have three Official Parties in each group stage location – Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando. They will have live music, competitions, our mascots Moonbeam and Moonchester, and special guests legends Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Philips. More information and how to register for the parties can be found here.
Interview: Holly Percival
FIFA Club World Cup Final, 22 December 2023
City 4-0 Fluminense
CITY: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones (Gvardiol 74), Ake (Bobb 81), Rodri (Akanji 74), Grealish, Foden (Nunes 81), Lewis (Kovacic 60), Alvarez
The Club World Cup was a totally new experience for Manchester City and one that few clubs ever get to enjoy.
The old format was undoubtedly easier to reach the final, with only one game to win – and the Blues did just that, comfortably seeing off Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 to set up a showdown with Brazilian giants Fluminense.
In the Jeddah heat and in front of a crowd of 52,601, City set out to complete an incredible trophy haul of Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Blues couldn’t have asked for a better start, as Nathan Ake’s shot rattled the post and Julian Alvarez bundled home the loose ball with just 40 seconds on the clock to make it 1-0.
It was a blow the Brazilian side would never recover from in what would be an exhilarating performance by Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side.
And when Nino deflected Phil Foden’s cross past his own goalkeeper to make it 2-0 for City on 27 minutes, it became a case of how many Pep Guardiola's men would add to that lead rather than whether Fluminense could find a way back.
That said, Ederson was forced to make a fine save before the break, and had that gone in, it might have been a different second-half.
But the excellent Alvarez was again involved as City finally put the game to bed on 72 minutes.
Darting into the box on the left, the Argentine drilled a low cross into the middle for a grateful Foden to slide home and make it 3-0.
And it was Alvarez who had the final say two minutes from the end of normal time as he collected the ball in the box before expertly tucking a low shot into the bottom left corner to complete the 4-0 rout – and an unforgettable 2023 for Manchester City Football Club.
Words: David Clayton
Where can I watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?
All 63 games in the tournament will be shown live and free around the world on DAZN.
Our first game comes in Philadelphia against Wydad AC from Morocco at 17:00 (UK) on Wednesday 18 June.
After that, we’ll go to Atlanta to play Al Ain from Abu Dhabi at 02:00 (UK) on Monday 23 June before our group stage ends in Orlando against Juventus at 20:00 on Thursday 26 June.
Should we then finish in the top two places, we’ll progress through to the Round of 16 – where one of Real Madrid, Al Hilal, RB Salzburg or Pachuca will be waiting.
After that, we could be facing any of the biggest names from all corners of the globe in single leg ties as we go for glory.
It’s set to be a thrilling new addition to the football calendar as the world’s best head Stateside.
You won’t want to miss the action and luckily, DAZN have made it easy to watch from anywhere in the world.
They will broadcast every minute from the event, with all 63 matches, live-streamed, free to view on DAZN globally, and in multiple languages.
If you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, then the competition is part of your current membership.
To sign up for a free DAZN account now you only need an email address to register, with no hidden costs or fees.
You can then watch all the action on the DAZN App via smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, game consoles and web browsers.
Join now to start watching for free on DAZN, sign up here.
Of course, we will also cover Pep Guardiola’s team in detail across mancity.com and the official Man City app.
Highlights will be available on our channels at midnight following the game, with the full-match replay to come two days later.
City Kitted Out for the summer!
City will debut two new kits in the US during this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
We will wear the 2025/26 PUMA Home kit as first choice during the tournament, with our goalkeeper sporting the new pink jersey unveiled last month.
Our new limited edition KidSuper shirt will act as an alternative option, alongside the orange base goalkeeper top.
For the first time ever our home shirt features the iconic sash placed on top of our unmistakable sky blue.
Our new KidSuper shirt also utilises the sash design, recalling a classic number that was worn by the likes of Bell, Lee and Summerbee.
This special edition kit will only be worn during this summer, with a new look to follow as our away kit for the 2025/26 domestic season.
The iconic two-tone sash has been reimagined with a watercolour palette, set against hand-painted graphics inspired by Manchester City’s beloved Poznan celebration.
This jersey is a fresh spin on a fan favourite and, as always with Manchester City, packs a whole lot of character.
The outfield kit, inspired by the fans, was designed in collaboration with New York-based fashion designer KidSuper.
A special goalkeeper kit has also been launched, in a neon sun colourway, with a black and yellow sash and includes an all-over Poznan graphic.
To complement the jerseys, PUMA, KidSuper and Manchester City have also launched a wider fanwear collection, which includes a reversible jacket with track pants, a retro long sleeve jersey, and a t-shirt in blue and cream colourways.
Colm Dillane, better known as KidSuper, said: “Designing a kit for a Club as iconic as Manchester City has been an amazing experience.
“I wanted to really push the design into another space and take a famous City look and give it a new twist using hand painted graphics to create something that works well on pitch but also looks good partnered with lifestyle clothing and streetwear. The whole collection is a merging of football, fashion and art.”
Manchester City legend Shaun Wright-Phillips, who wore a similar sash kit as part of the 2009/10 City squad, said: “It’s great to see this iconic Manchester City kit make a comeback – it feels perfect to combine such a fan favourite with a tribute to the fans’ Poznan celebration.
“I love what KidSuper has done with this shirt and the wider range, and I can’t wait to see the team run out in this kit soon in the States.”
The kits are available at mancity.com/shop and Manchester City Official Stores with 10% off for Members and Seasoncard holders.
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