By Issah Olegor
As the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 reaches its climactic semifinal stage, football fans across the globe are preparing for two high-stakes encounters featuring three European powerhouses and a Brazilian challenger vying for a place in the final at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.
The final four was confirmed on Saturday, following an intense round of quarterfinal clashes that delivered drama, goals, and high-profile performances.
Tournament debutants and Brazilian champions Fluminense will take on England’s Chelsea, while five-time Club World Cup champions Real Madrid face European title holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a blockbuster all-European showdown.
The first semifinal on Tuesday, July 8, at 3pm (19:00 GMT), will see Fluminense, buoyed by their hard-fought 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, square off against Chelsea.
Brazilian midfielders Matheus Martinelli and Hercules were the standout performers in Fluminense’s victory, with Hercules netting the winning goal in Orlando to send the South Americans into the last four.
On the other side, Chelsea secured their semifinal berth after edging out Palmeiras 2-1 in Philadelphia. Youngster Cole Palmer opened the scoring in the 16th minute, before Estevao, 18-year-old Palmeiras talent who will join Chelsea after the tournament, equalized in the second half.
The match was ultimately decided in the 83rd minute when Malo Gusto’s shot—deflected twice—snuck past Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton, sending the 65,000-strong crowd into raptures.
The match between Chelsea and Fluminense will be held at the 88,000-seat MetLife Stadium, which will also serve as the venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Mbappe vs PSG
The second semifinal, scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, is already being dubbed one of the biggest matches in Club World Cup history.
Real Madrid will meet PSG in a contest steeped in narrative—especially for Kylian Mbappe, who left PSG in June 2024 to join Madrid and will now face his former teammates for the first time.
PSG advanced in dramatic fashion, defeating Bayern Munich 2-0 in Atlanta despite being reduced to nine men following late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez.
Goals from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele were enough to see the Parisians through, keeping them on track for a potential historic quadruple.
Madrid’s path to the semis was equally eventful. They beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a high-octane clash where Gonzalo Garcia scored his fourth goal of the tournament and Fran Garcia added another.
Mbappe, who had been battling illness throughout the competition, sealed the win with a stunning overhead kick in stoppage time—a goal that electrified the MetLife Stadium crowd and set the stage for an emotionally charged reunion with his former club.
The final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played on Sunday, July 13, at the same MetLife venue.
In addition to prestige and global bragging rights, the winners will take home a prize purse of up to $125 million, making this tournament one of the most lucrative in football history.
