Club World Cup updates, odds: Real Madrid draw shows scale of Alonso's task
Although Nedum Onuoha "wasn't too impressed" by Trent Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid debut, he thinks it's far too early to judge the former Liverpool man. (1:14)
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is off and running, with plenty of talking points and storylines already. Let's get you caught up with what's happening today, what you've missed and what's still to come.
We will update this file throughout each matchday with the latest reporting, analysis and fun from the competition, so do check back regularly for the latest news as we follow the fun all the way up to the tournament final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.
The lead: Xabi Alonso will need more time as Real Madrid wilt in Miami heat vs. Al HilalMIAMI -- Meet the new Real Madrid? They're just like the old Real Madrid, even when it comes to missing penalties.
Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham & Co. didn't play well in their 1-1 draw with Al Hilal on Wednesday, but that shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who watched the team regularly last season. And when Federico Valverde's late penalty was saved by Bono in added time, that added even more deja vu. Madrid failed to convert six penalties last season between Kylian Mbappé (three), Vinícius (two) and Bellingham (one). Now Valverde can be added to that list of unsuccessful takers.
90+1' THIS IS INSANE! Penalty to @realmadrid, Valverde from the spot and Bono SAVES IT! We are still level in Miami! 😮
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #RMAHIL pic.twitter.com/CpwOek3yWy
Penalty-taking practice might be top of the to-do list for Xabi Alonso in Madrid's next training session in Palm Beach Gardens. But Wednesday's performance, in punishingly hot and humid conditions at Hard Rock Stadium, was proof that there's a lot of work to do.
There are plenty of reasons for Madrid's slow start at this tournament: some of these players have been here for just a few days, the team were without last season's top scorer Mbappé through illness and, of course, there's the heat. But still, expectations are high for the Alonso era, and in this first showing, Madrid didn't deliver.
Instead, it was Al Hilal who -- under another new coach, Simone Inzaghi -- often looked the more dangerous side. Madrid's new-look defense featuring two new signings, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, looked creaky, just like the old one last season. And once again, there was a desperate lack of an organizing, ball-playing midfielder, highlighted by Alonso's decision to throw on Arda Güler at half-time.
33' ⚽ GOAL! @realmadrid stuns in a collective play and Gonzalo García is there to get Los Blancos in the lead! 🔥
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #RMAHIL pic.twitter.com/IhadLtTEfy
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
As for Alexander-Arnold, the first half featured two almost stereotypical examples of his strengths and weaknesses. After 19 minutes, he lost the ball and was then caught out of position when Renan Lodi got in behind and finished past Thibaut Courtois, only to be saved by the offside flag. Then, 15 minutes later, the best of Trent. His brave, line-breaking pass inside found Gonzalo García to begin a flowing move that ended with Garcia making it 1-0.
Alexander-Arnold stretched out his arms in celebration: for the first time in a Madrid shirt, he'd played his part.
Alexander-Arnold has faced an unusual level of scrutiny so far given the fee Madrid paid Liverpool to ensure he would be available, when he could have signed for free in July. No obscure, pre-season friendly debut for Trent; instead, he's gone straight into the starting XI in a major tournament, and one which Madrid are desperate to win.
Here, however, it was another new arrival, Huijsen, who looked more assured. "It's a process," Alonso said afterwards. "I knew it would take time."
Goalkeeper Courtois was, typically, more forthright. "We've been with [Carlo] Ancelotti for four years," he said. "We have to change to what the boss wants now. It doesn't happen in four days."
Alonso will be hoping for a more coherent, immediate response when they next take the field, facing Liga MX side Pachuca in Charlotte, NC on Sunday afternoon. -- Alex Kirkland
Craig Burley reacts to Real Madrid's underwhelming performance vs. Al-Hilal as they draw 1-1 in the CWC.
• Al Hilal CEO: Signing Ronaldo would have been "unusual" • New Chelsea signing Sarr: I want to be Chelsea's van Dijk • Man City's Guardiola laments Lewis red card
Sights and sounds around FIFA Club World CupThe heat continues to be talking point for playersMIAMI -- The thermometers marked 92 degrees Fahrenheit as the initial whistle rang to kick off the match between Real Madrid and Al Hilal inside Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday afternoon in Miami Gardens. The Miami venue previously hosted the tournament's inaugural at 8:00 P.M. and the Boca Juniors versus Benfica clash earlier in the week at 6:00 PM, when the sun's intensity did not play a role on the pitch.
"I'm not making excuses, but it was quite hot," said Real Madrid player Gonzalo Garcia.
"A situation in which we're not used to playing like this, but hey, the heat was the same for both us and the opponent, so it's no excuse, and it's a game that perhaps would have been better at a different time."
New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso echoed his players' thoughts, speculating that the decision to play at 3:00 P.M. was not a sporting one. "They aren't the best conditions, it isn't the best time to play football, but it isn't a sporting decision to play at this time."
In the stands, fans purchased several water bottles, hid in the shade at half-time, and used the Michelob Ultra-sponsored fans to combat the direct sunlight. One fan attending the game struggled to go up the ramp to his seat, stopping several times and blaming the heat for the exhaustion. Three more games will be played at this time in Hard Rock Stadium, exposing teams and fan bases to the conditions of Miami Gardens. -- Lizzy Becherano
Man City need Foden to be at his best if they're to be successfulPHILADELPHIA -- Pep Guardiola arrived at the Club World Cup telling his Manchester City players to forget about last season, and itt's a message that will have been directed at Phil Foden, in particular.
The England midfielder was voted as the Premier League's best player in May 2024. Fast-forward a year and he could barely get a game for City. Picked to start against Wydad AC n their Group G opener, Foden scored City's first goal of the tournament within two minutes. It's the first time he's found the net for club or country since January -- a statistic that tells its own story about how hard the 25-year-old has found the past few months.
As recently as last month, Foden told reporters he was burnt out, which was also the reason he decided to skip England's World Cup qualifiers in June. Guardiola can only hope that the extra rest has done him good and that a goal against Wydad -- guided into the net after Savinho's cross was parried back into the penalty area -- will kick start a resurgence.
If Foden can return to his 2023-24 levels, when he scored 27 goals in all competitions, then City could again become the Premier League's team to beat.
Nedum Onuoha discusses Phil Foden's impressive performance vs Wydad AC as the panel debate his dip in form last season.
Rayan Cherki has arrived from Lyon this summer in the pre-tournament transfer window and has already been forced to answer questions about whether he's the replacement for Kevin De Bruyne. For Guardiola, though, Foden is likely to be considered as a more likely successor.
Guardiola had to do without De Bruyne for more than half of the 2023-24 campaign because of injury and it was Foden who stepped up as City claimed a fourth title in a row. When Foden scored after just 113 seconds, it looked like Wydad AC might be on the end of the kind of score we saw over the weekend between Bayern Munich and Auckland City. But it was to the Moroccan side's credit that they caused City problems on the break -- particularly during the middle period of the first half.
1' GOAL! Foden opens the score under 2 minutes of gameplay! 🔥
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #MCIWAC pic.twitter.com/tf8qvq3jvf
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
It was partly down to the pace of Wydad's South African forward Thembinkosi Lorch, but also because of Guardiola's ultra-attacking team. Foden, Cherki, Omar Marmoush, Jérémy Doku and Savinho were all crammed into the starting XI. It left Tijjani Reijnders to make his City debut as the deepest-lying midfielder even though he arrived from Milan talking about being a goalscoring No.8. A young back four that included Vitor Reis (19), Rico Lewis (20) and Nico O'Reilly (20) had some nervous moments before Doku made it 2-0 just before half-time.
The goal knocked the energy out of Wydad and the second half was comfortable for City, though the scoreline didn't deter the Moroccan fans. The block of red behind the goal bounced and chanted, led by a drummer who didn't stop all afternoon. At one point in the second half the game had to be paused after smoke bombs were let off. It gave the game a World Cup atmosphere as City kicked off their campaign with a win.
The only downside for Guardiola was a late red card for Lewis, despite appearing to win the ball first before clattering into Samuel Obeng. -- Rob Dawson
Andrada or Mele? Monterrey's goalkeeping dilemmaRef Cam captured THAT Rico Lewis tackle 🤯
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #MCIWAC pic.twitter.com/dr83OVrzZg
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025
LOS ANGELES -- Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada arrived at the Club World Cup with one foot out of the club, but he had his redemption match against UEFA Champions League runner-up Internazionale as the Liga MX side earned a very credible 1-1 draw to begin their Group E campaign.
Andrada's mistakes and lack of confidence saw him benched down the stretch in Liga MX, which prompted Monterrey to seek reinforcements in the special pre-Club World Cup transfer window. They signed Uruguayan international Santiago Mele, who arrived in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, but he was not considered for the match. In the end, Andrada was a force between the posts, making one big save and commanding his penalty area well against an onslaught of Inter shots, the Serie A side managing 15 shots for an xG (expected goals) of 2.68.
Coach Domenec Torrent now has an important decision to make for their next group game, against Argentine giants River Plate on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena: should he back Andrada to continue his heroics, or will Mele get an immediate look as a starter? -- Ricardo Cariño, ESPN Mexico
Wydad AC fans bring the atmosphere and energy in the Philly heatPHILADELPHIA -- Empty seats are in danger of becoming a theme of the Club World Cup, but Wydad's traveling support more than made up for the shortfall at Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday.
The attendance -- which did steadily increase after kick-off -- was announced as 37,446, just over half the stadium capacity of 67,594. That represents a reasonable return given the midday kick-off and summer humidity, but regardless, the sense of occasion was heightened by the ceaseless noise provided by Wydad's supporters.
Clad in red and gathered behind one goal, roughly 2,000 supporters led the charge with a pre-match tifo, drum-led chanting and, at one point during the second half, a sea of red flares which spread smoke and the smell of cordite drifting across the southern Philadelphia air. A few individuals went a step too far in throwing flares onto the pitch -- prompting boos from City supporters -- but overall FIFA will be grateful for the color r Wydad's ultras provided despite watching their team lose 2-0.
FIFA owes something of a debt to Morocco in this regard. Amid fears of empty stadia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco supporters descended on the Gulf state in their thousands to pack out arenas during the competition. What a boost it will be for FIFA and president Gianni Infantino if Wydad's fans continue to show this enthusiasm. -- James Olley
Not even a weather delay could halt Salzburg's momentumCINCINNATI -- A poor attendance to the match between Pachuca and RB Salzburg -- which ended in a 2-1 victory for the Austrian team -- in addition to a thunderstorm that suspended the match for an hour and 40 minutes, marred the Mexican club's debut in the Club World Cup, making it the only Latin American team to start the tournament with a loss.
The Austrian team were leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Israeli footballer Oscar Gloukh. However, in the 55th minute and due to the heavy rain and lightning, the local sound system at TQL Stadium informed all attendees that they should take shelter indoors to avoid any incidents, and within a couple of minutes, the stands were empty.
After about an hour, the game was able to resume. The Mexican side was able to snatch an equalizer from Bryan González. However, Salzburg was able to snatch the winner thanks to Karim Onisiwo to ensure that they are the undisputed leaders in Group H.
Only 5,283 people attended the match in Cincinnati -- which has a capacity of 26,000 fans -- so the stadium looked almost empty, with the upper part of the stadium empty of seats. -- Armando Neira
More sights and sounds to follow...
Star player of the dayTo follow after the games...
Match previews, odds for ThursdayPalmeiras vs. Al Ahly (Group A; East Rutherford, NJ, Noon ET)Odds (via ESPN BET): Palmeiras (-165), Draw (+300), Al Ahly (+450)
Preview to follow...
Inter Miami CF vs. FC Porto (Group A; Atlanta, 3 p.m. ET)Odds: Inter Miami CF (+380), Draw (+300), FC Porto (-150)
Miami coach Javier Mascherano confirmed that Lionel Messi feels good after the inaugural game against Al Ahly, training normally after a 90-minute performance, and is set to feature tomorrow against Porto.
Though Inter Miami continue to navigate the tournament with a weakened roster due to the ongoing injuries of Yannick Bright, Allen Obando, and David Ruiz, the return of Jordi Alba could serve as a major boost. The left back returned to training this week for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in the MLS match against CF Montréal on May 28th.
The player has been sidelined since coming off the pitch in the 24th minute of that game, leaving the backline vulnerable. It remains to be determined whether he'll see time on the pitch tomorrow, but he could help Inter Miami in what may be one of their biggest tests yet.
For Porto, this game comes after a 0-0 draw against Palmeiras in their Club World Cup debut. The Portuguese side now look to dominate against Inter Miami to keep hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage alive. Head coach Martin Anselmi insisted that despite being considered as the favorites over the MLS team, there will be "no easy games." -- Becherano
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atlético Madrid (Group B; Seattle, 6 p.m. ET)Odds: Seattle Sounders FC (+750), Draw (+450), Atlético Madrid (-340)
After losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in their opening Group B game, this already feels like a must-win match for Atlético Madrid if they want to progress to the knockout phase. That performance was unacceptable, the first-half failure to compete uncharacteristic of a Diego Simeone team.
Perhaps the midday heat in Pasadena was a factor, though there'll be no such excuse on Thursday evening at a cloudy Lumen Field in Seattle. The Sounders did well against Brazilian giants Botafogo there on Sunday -- giving the 2024 Copa Libertadores winners a scare, though losing 2-1 despite having the bulk of the scoring chances and possession -- and they'll once again be underdogs against Atlético, hoping to secure a famous win at home. -- Kirkland
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo RJ (Group B; Pasadena, 9 p.m. ET)Odds: PSG (-550), Draw (+550), Botafogo RJ (+1000)
What do you say about PSG that hasn't already been said? Since their UEFA Champions League triumph over Internazionale on May 31, the French giants have continued to roll thanks to their young, confident squad led by mercurial manager, Luis Enrique. After cruising past Atlético Madrid -- known for a stout defense and aggressive style under manager Diego Simeone -- by a 4-0 scoreline in their tournament opener, they will take on a trickier Brazilian side at the Rose Bowl on Thursday night.
Botafogo are not here to make up the numbers, having navigated past MLS side Seattle 2-1 in their first Club World Cup game despite absorbing a ton of pressure. Forward Igor Jesus and former Manchester United/Porto left back Alex Telles will offer a challenge, but it's hard to see anything other than another resounding PSG victory given their form and team harmony. -- James Tyler
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