Frank Christian
This week, Manchester City will take a brief break from their unusual performance on the pitch as they anticipate the draw for the Club World Cup.
Scheduled for summer 2025 in the United States, this tournament is introducing a revamped structure akin to the traditional international World Cup format.
With the draw happening on Thursday, we now have clarity on which pot Man City will be in, outlining potential opponents for the group stage and those they might only face in the knockout rounds.
Here’s the breakdown.
Manchester City’s Pot Allocation
City is placed in Pot 1, allowing them to sidestep encounters with powerhouse teams like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, and Fluminense until the knockout stage, provided they advance.
Understanding Club World Cup Pots
The Club World Cup format features groups made up of teams from each pot: one from Pot 1, one from Pot 2, one from Pot 3, and one from Pot 4.
Since Manchester City is in Pot 1, they’ll compete against teams from Pot 2, 3, and 4.
Potential Opponents for Man City at the Club World Cup
Unless FIFA imposes restrictions on drawing teams from the same country, there could be a matchup against Chelsea from Pot 2, leading to an exciting Premier League face-off.
Pot 2 also features Inter Milan, the team Man City recently defeated for their first Champions League title in 2023, alongside other strong European contenders such as Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid.
In Pot 4, they’ll find Inter Miami, setting the stage for Pep Guardiola to reconnect with former players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and new head coach Javier Mascherano.
If Neymar is still part of the squad by that summer, he currently plays for Al Hilal, who are listed in Pot 3.
Complete List of Club World Cup Pots
- Pot 1: Man City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Flamengo, Palmeiras, River Plate, Fluminense
- Pot 2: Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Juventus, Salzburg
- Pot 3: Al Hilal, Ulsan HD, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Monterrey, Leon, Boca Juniors, Botafogo
- Pot 4: Urawa Red Diamonds, Al Ain, Hope of Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pachuca, Seattle Sounders, Auckland City, Inter Miami
