FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Penultimate Qualifier
As mentioned in the last post, there were only two teams remaining to be selected for the tournament. We now have a bit more clarity.
FIFA announced that Inter Miami CF will become the host nation’s representative at the new FIFA Club World Cup after winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield. I called this in my last post. And they clearly sort of arbitrarily and posthumously made the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield the qualifying logic. I assume there was too much risk to allow the MLS playoffs to be completed and hope Inter Miami came out on top. This just ignores that there were three other clubs who won the Supporters Shield (New England Revolution, Los Angeles FC, and FC Cincinnati) recently who would arguably have the same claim as Inter Miami.
But alas, we all know that this was an excuse to make sure Inter Miami participates. As I was writing this, Inter Miami lost a crazy game against Atlanta FC in the first round of the MLS Playoffs. So good call to not hinge theirparticipation on that. Watch the crazy highlights here.
The final spot then goes to the Copa Libertadores winner. The semi-finals were completed last week. Attached are all the highlights from both matchups and both legs
Semi-Final 1 - Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro v. Argentina’s River Plate
Leg 1
Leg 2
Semi-Final 2 - Brazil’s Botafogo v. Uruguay’s Penarol
Leg 1
Leg 2
Unlike my Inter Miami prediction, neither River Plate or Penarol will move onto the finals, so I’m wrong on this front. But wow did River Plate bring the atmosphere in the second leg. Don’t worry, they’ve already qualified, so they’ll be in the USA next summer!
On November 30th either Clube Atlético Mineiro or Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas will book the final slot for the FIFA Club World Cup. You’ll need access to beINSPORTS to watch.
Mineiro is from the state of Minas Gerais, which is directly adjacent to the state of Rio de Janeiro, where Botafogo is located. Due to the distance, neither club sees this as a derby / rival game. But a winner takes all game to take home the trophy, plus a ticket to the summer tournament in the USA will certainly lead to a spicy match.
It is a six hour drive between the two cities.
Mineiro won the Copa Libertadores in 2013, but Botafogo has never won it. Both teams have won the Brazilian league twice, with Mineiro doing it more recently in 2021. In this current season, Botafogo sits in first place with 5 games remaining, including a matchup with Mineiro on 11/20. A little amuse bouche before the Copa Libertadores final. Mineiro sits 11th currently and well outside the Copa Liberatdores qualifying places. Winning the tournament for Mineiro is their only chance to getting back into the competition next year.
The odds are in Botafogo’s favor +125 to win the tournament for the first time (Mineiro is at +250). But you never know what can happen in a single game.