In addition to its Club World Cup guide, Sports Talk United here presents the Group A of the competition, which will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13 2025.
Which teams are in Group A of the Club World Cup?
Group A features Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly and Inter Miami. It promises to be a mouth-watering clash between four teams that have been making waves in recent years.
Crowned Brazilian champions in 2023, Palmeiras came close to repeating the feat last year, finishing six points behind leaders Botafogo. It’s a very different destiny to that embraced by Portuguese side FC Porto, who have just concluded a tricky season, both domestically and on the continental stage.
Egypt’s Al Ahly, on the other hand, took advantage of the 2024-25 season to win the 45th league title in the club’s history – their third in a row. As for Inter Miami, winners of the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2024, the Club World Cup could help them get back on track, while their start to the 2025 season has been marked by uneven results.
How did each Group A team qualify for the Club World Cup?
Palmeiras — Brazil (CONMEBOL)
Palmeiras secured their ticket to the Club World Cup with victory in the 2021 Copa Libertadores.
FC Porto — Portugal (UEFA)
A regular presence in the Champions League, FC Porto’s performances in the competition have opened the doors to the competition. To the point of being the fifth-best qualified team in the UEFA rankings.
Al Ahly FC — Egypt (CAF)
Winners of three of the last five editions of the CAF Champions League, Al Ahly have logically booked their place in the group phase of the competition. A tournament that the Egyptian club is preparing to take part in for the 10th time in its history.
Inter Miami CF — United States (Concacaf)
Despite winning the 2024 MLS Cup, the LA Galaxy saw the slot that should rationally have been awarded to them finally go to Inter Miami, last year’s best MLS regular season team. The consequence of a decision taken by FIFA, which wanted the host slot to be awarded to the champion of a traditional league, rather than to the play-off winner.
Group A match schedule: Key dates and fixtures
The first match in Group A will pit Al Ahly against Inter Miami on June 14 to kick off the competition. The two matches counting for the third and last ound will be played at the same time, on June 23.
- June 14: Al Ahly FC vs Inter Miami CF — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami (8pm EDT, 1am BST, 2am CEST)
- June 15: SE Palmeiras vs FC Porto — MetLife Stadium, New York (6pm EDT, 11pm BST, 0am CEST)
- June 19: Inter Miami CF vs FC Porto — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (3pm EDT, 8pm BST, 9pm CEST)
- June 19: SE Palmeiras vs Al Ahly FC — MetLife Stadium, New York (12pm EDT, 4pm BST, 5pm CEST)
- June 23: Inter Miami CF vs SE Palmeiras — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami (9pm EDT, 2am BST, 3am CEST)
- June 23: FC Porto vs Al Ahly FC — MetLife Stadium, New York (9pm EDT, 2am BST, 3am CEST)
Key players to watch in Group A
Estevao Willian — Palmeiras
Boasting a wealth of South American talent, Palmeiras will rely heavily on the presence of Estevao Willian in their quest to perform well in the competition. The opportunity for the 18-year-old winger to make his farewell tour with his parent club, as he is set to join Chelsea this summer.
Rodrigo Mora — FC Porto
If there is one player who is attracting a lot of interest from Porto, it’s Rodrigo Mora. At just 18 years of age, the talented youngster has been the talk of the town in recent months. So much so that he has already been linked with a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs. After all, scoring 10 league goals in his first season in the top flight is no mean feat. And we’re not talking about the quality of those goals here.
Emam Ashour — Al Ahly FC
A versatile 27-year-old midfielder, Emam Ashour will be one of the players to keep an eye on at Al Ahly. Scorer of 19 goals and nine assists in 39 appearances during the 2024-25 season, the 18-cap Egypt international is keen to add another trophy to his already impressive trophy cabinet.
Lionel Messi — Inter Miami CF
Nobody will have missed the fact that Inter Miami boast a wealth of top-quality players. But none more so than Lionel Messi. At almost 38, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to shine on the pitch. Voted MLS MVP in 2024, he has already proved decisive on 21 occasions in 20 games played across all competitions this season.
What’s at stake in Group A?
Group A promises to be a tightly contested affair, especially as only two teams will advance to the knockout phase of the competition. While it is difficult to predict which teams will qualify, Palmeiras and FC Porto would appear to be the natural favourites.
But it would be a bad idea to underestimate Inter Miami and Al Ahly. After all, these two sides also boast some very talented players who are used to lifting trophies. It promises to be an interesting four-way battle.
