The UAE's reigning Asian champions Al Ain will face Manchester City in the revamped 2025 Fifa Club World Cup group stage following a draw in Miami on Thursday night.
The new 32-team competition, to be hosted in the US next summer, has been advocated by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, but has been met with some resistance as it adds yet more fixtures to an already congested calendar.
City and fellow Premier League giants Chelsea qualified as 2023 and 2021 Champions League winners respectively, but were kept apart in the draw for the group stage as part of Fifa's complex regional constraints.
Pep Guardiola's side will play Moroccan outfit Wydad AC in their opening Group G fixture before taking on Al Ain, then Italian giants Juventus.
Saudi Pro League champions Al Hilal landed alongside Real Madrid in Group H as well as Mexico's Pachuca and RB Salzburg.
Chelsea start in Group D against Mexico's Club Leon, then Flamengo and Esperance Tunis.
Should both English clubs progress to the knockout stages as group winners, they would go into opposite sides of the draw and would then not meet until the final.
The draw in Miami proved a protracted affair, which also included a video message from US president-elect Donald Trump.
“The event is going to be incredible. I will try to be there if I can,” Mr Trump said. “Gianni is a winner. He is a president and I am the President. We have known each other a long time.
“Football is going through the roof, it has been doing very well. It really is taking over the United States as a sport. We are also going to be watching the [2026] World Cup very soon. I was very responsible along with Gianni in getting it, and it is going to be a fantastic thing.”
City beat Brazilian side Fluminense to win the Club World Cup in its previous format for the first time in 2023, while Chelsea won the 2021 final against Palmeiras.
The tournament will kick off with an opening game featuring Lionel Messi's Inter Miami against Egyptians Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium on June 15.
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Al Ain players and coaching staff celebrate after beating Yokohama F Marinos to win the AFC Champions League on May 25, 2024. Al Ain won 5-1 at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and 6-3 on aggregate. All images: Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Two-goal hero and man of the match Soufiane Rahimi celebrates victory. -
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo celebrates with the trophy. -
Al Ain celebrate their victory at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Al Ain celebrate their victory at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Al Ain celebrate their victory at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo celebrates the win. -
Al Ain players celebrate after the match. -
Soufiane Rahimi after scoring his second of the match and Al Ain's third. -
Kaku scores Al Ain's second goal from the spot. -
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo. -
Soufiane Rahimi celebrates after scoring for Al Ain to make it 1-0 on the night. -
Yokohama' goalkeeper William Popp after being sent off. -
Yokohama's Australian manager Harry Kewell. -
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi after scoring his second of the match. -
Al Ain's Kaku celebrates after scoring. -
Yokohama's Yan Matheus celebrates after scoring. -
Soufiane Rahimi scores for Al Ain. -
Yokohama's Yan Matheus after scoring. -
Al Ain fans before the game at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Yokohama fans before the game at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Al Ain fans head to the stadium. -
Al Ain fans ahead of the AFC Champions League final second leg. -
Yokohama fans at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
An Al Ain fan outside Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. -
Yokohama fans in the stadium before the game.
Inter Miami's involvement as the host nation team is controversial. The Herons won the regular-season Supporters Shield, but missed out on being crowned major league Soccer champions with defeat to Atlanta in the MLS Cup play-offs.
The Club World Cup final is set to be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13.
Despite the backing of Fifa president Infantino, the expanded tournament has caused plenty of concern, including from players' union Fifpro.
Fifa has been accused of failing to consult adequately with player unions and leagues on the international fixture calendar – with Premier League chief executive Richard Masters describing the introduction of the new club competition as the “tipping point”.
Unions' concerns centre chiefly on player welfare, with those based in Europe who go deep into the tournament set to be afforded very little time to properly rest and recover before the 2025-2026 domestic seasons begin. Players have also spoken out.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
