THE REVAMPED Fifa Club World Cup increases to 32 teams in 2025 with Manchester City and Chelsea among those in action.
It will now be contested with a similar format to the World Cup, staged next year in America from June 15-July 13.
Teams will be divided into eight groups of four and play each other once, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the knockout stage.
The last 16 is the first single knockout round – followed by the quarter-final, semi-final and then final.
But it all kicks off with the group-stage draw, staged in Miami, where the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich find out their fate.
Certain teams cannot draw each other, for example sides from the same league such as Chelsea and City or Flamengo and Fluminense.
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Fifa split the top seeding pot by handing four slots to Europe and four to South America, based on their continental coefficient ranking.
So City, Madrid, Bayern and PSG are joined by Brazilians Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense and Argentina’s River Plate.
The other eight European sides, including Chelsea, are in pot two.
Pot three is made up of the remaining South American teams – Boca Juniors and Botafogo – and the two highest ranked sides from the other three major confederations.
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Pot four will see the remaining sides, although Inter Miami are already confirmed as playing in Group A and Seattle Sounders will play all their games at home.
SunSport simulated the draw and it would be exciting news for City fans but not so much for Chelsea.
The Premier League champions drew Inter Milan, Botafogo and Inter Miami – meaning they would come up against Lionel Messi.
But Chelsea suffered a horror draw alongside Real Madrid, Monterrey of Mexico and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns FC.
There were also glamour ties including Flamengo vs Port and Palmeiras vs Juventus.
Boca Juniors vs Bayern Munich also looks particularly exciting.
Details on how footy fans can watch the Club World Cup emerged earlier this week, with DAZN snapping up the rights.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
