The chance to face new opponents from a different continent, or superstars only seen before on screen, is whetting the appetite of players from the 30 teams across the globe who have already qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

A total of 32 teams from the six confederations – AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA – will gather in the United States in 2025 for the inaugural edition of the new-look tournament.

Here, FIFA finds out from players, club legends and officials just what taking part in the event means to them and their supporters.

Koke – Atletico Madrid captain

“When I was kid playing classic video games, you’d often pick teams from other countries or continents, as they’d get you dreaming. This will be something similar, although here it’ll be real life and much better. We’re lucky enough to be able to experience it in person, and it’s just as exciting as it was back then when you were that buzzing kid. Or if you had the chance to buy, or were gifted, a shirt of one of those foreign clubs… Playing this tournament is like converting that childlike enthusiasm into real life.”

Cristian Roldan – Seattle Sounders midfielder

“Our team brings a mixture of foreign guys and guys who are bred in our backyard. I think that’s the beauty of our team. We have a lot of continuity. For MLS, that’s rare to have the same players for the same team for a while. We have a lot of chemistry and we continue to win trophies together. We want to bring a controlled game at times and then we want to get in behind and be direct at other times. We want to be aggressive and we want to be exciting, so hopefully we can bring that to the Club World Cup.”

Zico – Flamengo legend

“It gives everybody more visibility, and the clubs deserve that. It’s good to be taking part in a competition like this. It’s a tournament everyone’s also going to find more difficult and more evenly matched, because you’ve got to go up against the biggest sides in world football. I’m all for that.”

Shusaku Nishikawa – Urawa Red Diamonds captain

“When I watch matches overseas, I watch teams like Real Madrid and I want to face those top clubs. It goes without saying that I watch Manchester City’s goalkeeper Ederson, so I still want to go up against them again. If Urawa Reds can compete against the top clubs, and even win, I think that all of Japan will be excited, and I think it would give Japanese clubs something to aim for.”

Kim Keehee – Ulsan HD captain

“Playing Seattle would bring back a lot of memories. I still talk about my time there to younger players today. It would mean a lot to me to play against a team that has grown leaps and bounds and become a globally recognised, competitive, team. I think that’s how everyone in our squad feels about the Club World Cup, and I think the younger players in particular will thrive with that mindset and experience.”

Ryan De Vries – Auckland City striker

“Growing up in South Africa I was a big Orlando Pirates fan but Mamelodi Sundowns are such a big team and they’ve conquered South Africa and Africa. If we were in the same group or even remotely close to each other it would be special. I’d also love to get Real Madrid. They’ve always been the pick of the bunch for me; watching them in 2014 when they had that star-studded line-up of Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo, Marcelo, Luka Modric, James Rodriguez… I think they are unbelievable and just to be in the same group as them would be next level.”

Stephan Reiter – FC Salzburg general manager

“We’re delighted that the ‘Salzburg Way’ has led us as far as the Club World Cup and given us a chance to go toe-to-toe with the world’s best club sides from over the last few years in 2025. We’re looking forward to taking on any side whose success has earned them a place at the tournament. It would be exciting to play a competitive match against a club from another continent for a change, as that’s something we’ve never done before.”

Fahad bin Nafel – Al Hilal club president

“Al Hilal compete in every tournament with the goal of winning the title. Now that Saudi Arabian sport is at a historic moment, we need to aim much higher. Our objective is to compete for the title at the Club World Cup, and we have everything we need to succeed.”