Frank Christian
FIFA’s introduction of a larger, 32-team Club World Cup raised concerns about potential significant mismatches between elite clubs and less experienced teams.
Those anxieties quickly became reality after just two games in the 2025 tournament.
On the inaugural evening, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and the Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly battled to a thrilling, but scoreless, draw, before Bayern Munich took on Auckland City in Ohio.
While Auckland has triumphed in the last four OFC Champions League tournaments, their roster mainly features amateur players.
Opta’s Power Rankings gave an early indication of what might happen in the match. Bayern was ranked sixth overall, in stark contrast to Auckland, which was listed as the 5,074th-ranked club in the world.
This disparity was evident at TQL Stadium. Under the guidance of Vincent Kompany, Bayern surged to a 6-0 lead by halftime, with Jamal Musiala’s second-half hat trick helping secure a resounding 10-0 victory.
Enjoy all three of @JamalMusiala‘s goals as his 23-minute hat trick led Bayern to an impressive win in the #FIFACWC
Follow the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Available to watch for free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/1H1vk7qaPl
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025
Record Club World Cup Victories
It comes as no surprise that, across all editions of the tournament, no other team has managed to inflict such a heavy defeat. Below is a listing of the most significant wins at the Club World Cup.
Bayern’s achievement in Ohio is unlikely to be surpassed, although further imbalanced matchups are likely within FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s envisioned format.
Top Club World Cup Victories
- Bayern Munich 10-0 Auckland City FC* (2025)
- Al Hilal 6-1 Al Jazira (2021)
- Esperance 6-2 Al Sadd (2019)
- Monterrey 5-1 Al Ahly (2013)
- Santos 0-4 Barcelona (2011)
- Manchester City 4-0 Fluminense (2023)
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025
Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise each scored twice in the first half, while veteran Thomas Muller, in his final season, found the net once in each half, marking his 249th and 250th goals for the club. Additionally, Sacha Boey scored his inaugural goal for Bayern.
Bayern now holds the record for the largest victories in Club World Cup history, previously held by Al Hilal, who won 6-1 against Al Jazira in 2021.
The four-goal wins by Barcelona and Manchester City against Santos and Fluminense, respectively, both occurred during finals led by Pep Guardiola.
