2025 FIFA CWC Guide: All You Need to Know About Group A

On Sunday, the highly anticipated 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will kick off in the USA. This edition is the first one to include a 32-team. 

The opening game will be between Egypt's Al Ahly and USA's Inter Miami.

SEE News will introduce you to readers with various articles and facts about the tournament, which is running between June 15 and July 13.

This feature introduces all you need to know about the tournament's Group A.

Group A consists of Porto from Portugal, Palmeiras from Brazil, Al-Ahly from Egypt and Inter Miami from the US.

All eyes will be on Leo Messi and Luis Suarez, who earned a place in the competition thanks to their victory in the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, the trophy awarded to the team with the most points in the MLS regular season.

On paper, Inter Miami will battle it out for top spot in the group with Porto, who are looking to bounce back after a very difficult season both at home and in the Europa League, where they were eliminated by Roma. The Portuguese side qualified thanks to their position in the UEFA rankings. Starting in the third row are Palmeiras, one of the strongest teams in South America for years and Libertadores champions in 2021, and Al-Ahly, who qualified for the World Cup thanks to their triumphs in the African Champions League in 2020-21, 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Porto

Porto are among of popular teams in Portugal, and they are the highest ranked team in the group.

They are qualified for the tournament as they are Fifth-best-ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking.

Hwever, the team's performance in the latest season was somehow disappinting as they only gained the Super Cup trophy. 

The Dragoes finished the league in third place, 11 points behind champions Sporting.

They were eliminated from the Europa League in the play-offs at the hands of Roma. 

The team's coach is Argentine's Martin Anselmi. This is his first experience in Europe. 

Expected starting XI (3-4-2-1) formation: Diogo Costa; Perez, Ze Pedro, Marcano; Joao Mario, Varela, Eustaquio, Francisco Moura; Rodrigo Mora, Pepe; Aghehowa. 

Palmeiras

Palmeiras are leading team in Brazilian football for years. Since 2020, they won the Copa Libertadores twice. 

In 2024, they finished second in the Brasileirao behind champions Botafogo.

The club is known for their strong and productive youth academy which produces players who are playing in several European clubs. 

The squad includes two stars coming from from Serie A, Felipe Anderson and Gustavo Gomez, former players of Lazio and Milan.

Their coach is the longest-serving coach in Brazil Abel Ferreira.

Their expected starting XI (3-4-3): Weverton; Giay, Gomez, Bruno Fuchs; Allan, Rios, Moreno, Piquerez; Estevao, Lopez, Paulinho. 

Al-Ahly

The most successful and decorated team in Egypt and Africa, as well as one of the most successful in the world.

The Cairo giants are the second team with most continental titles in the world after Real Madrid. 

The Cairo club has dominated in recent years, winning three consecutive league titles and in the past four years, Al Ahly won three CAF Champions League titles.

They are also the first Arabic team to win a FIFA club title. 

The team's coach is Jose Riveiro and he was appointed few weeks before the tournament.

Al Ahly had an active transfer window before the tournament as they signed Egypt international and football icon Mahmoud Hassan Trézéguet, Zizo from Al Zamalek, ES Tunis icon and star Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, Hamdy Fathy, and Ahmed Ramadan Beckham. 

The expected starting XI (4-3-3): El Shenawy; Hany, Ibrahim, Al Aash, Koka; El Soleya, Ashour, Attia; Mohamed, Abou Ali, Bencharki. 

Inter Miami

The most known team in MLS after signing one of the top two active football legends, Lionel Messi. 

The team are qualified for the tournament as the hosts' representatives.

The team also include several icons such as Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

The team's coach is Javier Mascherano.

The expected starting XI (4-4-2): Ustari; Fray, Lujan, Allen, Jordi Alba; Segovia, Bright, Busquets, Allende; Messi, Suarez. Coach: Mascherano