The Club World Cup kicks off this weekend with Italy boasting two representatives in the United States.

Inter Milan and Juventus are flying the Serie A flag in the revamped event, with 32 teams now involved. This is a dramatic increase from the previous yearly editions, which welcomed the continental champions from the six confederations to compete for the title.

It will now be played every four years and is the brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who said this week that the tournament marks ‘a new era of football’.

Here is all you need to know about FIFA’s newest competition ahead of the opening match on Saturday night.

Which Serie A teams are taking part?

Inter Milan and Juventus will represent Serie A at the Club World Cup. 

They qualified courtesy of their UEFA ranking over the past four years, which is determined by a club’s performance in European competitions. In practical terms, the further a team goes in the Champions League, the more points they accrue.

Inter’s bid was significantly helped by their run to the Champions League final in 2023, which they lost to Manchester City. Their run to the 2025 final will help their cause for qualification for future tournaments.

Which other teams are taking part?

Another 30 teams are joining Inter and Juventus in the USA, with UEFA taking 12 of the 32 spots available – the highest quota of any confederation.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea qualified by winning the Champions League over the past three years. 

Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Porto and Red Bull Salzburg are included because of their UEFA ranking.

Who do Inter and Juventus face?

Fresh from their Champions League disappointment, Inter have avoided European rivals in their group courtesy of their coefficient ranking. However, they still face tough opposition in Group E.

They begin their tournament against 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winners Monterrey from Mexico, before facing three-time AFC Champions League winners Urawa Reds. Their group stage ends with an eye-catching clash with Argentinean giants River Plate.

Juventus have been paired with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in Group G, as well as 2024 AFC Champions League winners Al Ain FC and Morocco’s most successful club Wydad AC.

How does the Club World Cup work?

The Club World Cup follows the same format as the men’s and women’s international World Cups. The 32 teams are split into eight groups of four, with the top two in each group qualifying for the knockout stages.

In the round of 16, the winner of Group A plays the runner-up in Group B, with the second-placed team in Group A facing the Group B winners, and so on.

Unlike the international World Cups, however, there is no third-place play-off in the Club World Cup. The tournament begins on Saturday June 14 (June 15, 1.00am BST), with the final set for Sunday July 13.

Where will matches be played?

The tournament will be spread across 12 stadiums in 11 cities in the United States and will serve as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which will be hosted across the USA, Mexico and Canada in 2026.

The opening fixture will be played at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, which has hosted six Super Bowls, most recently in 2020, and last year’s Copa America final. 

The final, meanwhile, will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. 

The 11 host cities are: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Charlotte (TQL Stadium), Cincinnati (Bank of America Stadium), Los Angeles (Rose Bowl Stadium), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), Nashville (GEODIS Park), New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Orlando (Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), Seattle (Lumen Field), Washington DC (Audi Field).

How to watch the Club World Cup

Streaming platform DAZN has secured exclusive rights to the tournament globally and will show all 63 matches live on its platforms. You can sign up for a free account and watch every game from the tournament on their platform.

In the UK, Channel 5 will also be showing selected games as part of an agreement with DAZN.