After a disappointing 2024/2025 season, Manchester City have started the 2025/2026 season in style. The Sky Blues were invited to participate in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where they are the current title holders. The tournament runs from 14 June to 13 July 2025. Thirty-two clubs started at this year’s competition, where a group stage was introduced ahead of the knockout stages.
Manchester City were placed in Group G alongside the Moroccan club Wydad AC, the Emirati side Al Ain, and the Italian team Juventus. To advance to the new format of the Club World Cup knockout stages, Manchester City would need to finish in one of the top two places in their group.
The English team performed in style. Manchester City began the competition with a routine 2-0 victory against Wydad AC. The match was played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following this victory on 18 June, the Sky Blues travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, to face Al Ain on 22 June. During the match, they ran riot, defeating their opponents 6-0. Results elsewhere in Group G meant that the Cityzens would advance to the competition’s knockout stages. All that remained was determining the team’s placement, which would be decided on the final matchday of the group stage. Manchester City travelled to Orlando, Florida, for their final group stage game against Juventus on 26 June. The English side defeated the Italian club 5-2, meaning that City would win the group.
Manchester City will now earn a few days of rest before their upcoming Round of 16 match. Fortunately for the Sky Blues, they will not need to travel as their match will be played in Orlando. The game against the Saudi team Al Hilal will be played on 30 June, while in the UK it will be on the 1st of July (2:00). Should City win, they will move on to the competition’s Quarter-finals. That match will also be played in Orlando, which is scheduled for 4 July. The opponent in that game would be the winner of the Round of 16 fixture between the Italian team Internazionale and the Brazilian club Fluminense.
If the Sky Blues win their Round of 16 and Quarter-final matches, then they will advance to the competition’s Semi-Final. That game would be played on 8 July in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final will be held on 13 July, which is also in East Rutherford. There will be no third-placed game.
It is uncertain how the remaining fixtures in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will unfold. Additionally, there is still a lot of football to be played in this tournament. But if Manchester City were able to retain the FIFA Club World Cup trophy, this would be a significant confidence and motivational boost ahead of the 2025/2026 English Premier League season.
After their performances last season, Manchester City would certainly welcome a trophy to begin the new season. Time will tell if they will succeed.