Auckland City have been drawn with six-time European champions Bayern Munich in their group for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

The 2025 tournament has been expanded to 32 teams with Boca Juniors of Argentina and Benfica of Portugal the other teams in Group C with Auckland.

Benfica have also won the European Cup twice, while Boca Juniors have won South America’s top competition, the Copa Libertadores six times.

Auckland have been to the Club World Cup 11 times with their best result a third place in 2014.

Premier League champions Manchester City were drawn with Juventus, Wydad AC and Al Ain in Group G.

Lionel Messi and Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami are in Group A and will face Al Ahly in the opening match before games against Porto and Palmeiras.

The tournament, featuring top teams from around the world, will be held in 12 stadiums around the country from June 15-July 13 and serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

Auckland City players celebrating their third place finish at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Manchester City won the most recent Club World Cup in 2023 under the old format and sit fourth in the Premier League after being hit hard by injuries to key players such as Spanish midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.

City, who this year won an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title, will face Wydad AC in their opening match and Al Ain before closing out the group stage against Juventus.

Miami were the penultimate team added to the tournament after winning the Supporters’ Shield for finishing top of the MLS standings in the regular season before losing in the first round of the MLS playoffs last month.

European champions Real Madrid will face Al-Hilal, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in Group H.

Three-times European champions Inter Milan landed in Group E along with River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds and Monterrey while Paris St Germain, who this year won a third consecutive French top-flight title, are in Group B with Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders.

Brazilian side Botafogo only secured the final spot in the tournament last week by winning their first Copa Libertadores title.

Chelsea will begin Group D play against Leon before facing Flamengo and Esperance, while Group F is made up of Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns.

-Reuters with additional reporting from RNZ