The first FIFA Club World Cup draw is December 5

In Miami on December 5, the world’s greatest football clubs will pick their group stage opponents for the inaugural 32-club FIFA Club World Cup. The income and benefits of this competition for clubs are unknown, and only one sponsor, Chinese electronics giant Hisense, has been named. The date was eagerly awaited.

The draw at 1800 GMT will select the eight groups of four teams that will compete in the US competition from June 15 to July 13. The 16 clubs in the top two of each group will advance to the knockout phase from the round of 16 to the final without a third-place match.

The new Club World Cup will have 32 teams, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, compared to seven in the previous edition. The expanded event has been criticized for creating more effort for players, and football’s governing body has not announced any broadcast deals.

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will open the club competition at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, on June 15, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. FIFA will hold the expanded competition every four years. No 2029 host has been chosen.