Paris Saint-Germain secured their place in Sunday’s final after a commanding 4–0 win over Real Madrid at MetLife Stadium.
The reigning Champions League holders dismantled the Spanish giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Wednesday night. ..Continue Reading
Fabian Ruiz scored twice, while Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos also found the net to seal PSG’s emphatic victory.
The French champions will now face Chelsea in the final, after the Blues defeated Fluminense 2–0 on Tuesday thanks to a brace from new signing João Pedro.
In most major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, the losing semi-finalists typically compete in a third-place match.
However, that won’t happen in this edition of the Club World Cup, and the reason has now been made public.
FIFA confirmed there will be no bronze medal match in the 2025 tournament to allow eliminated teams to return to their domestic and preseason duties ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
In a statement issued on the official FIFA website, the organisation confirmed: “There will be no third-place match, or bronze final, at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
“For the inaugural edition of this elite global competition, FIFA decided not to include this match to ensure that clubs and players who do not make the final can transition to their next commitments as soon as possible.”
As a result, Xabi Alonso’s squad will now head back to Spain to begin preparations for the upcoming 2025/26 season, which kicks off next month.
Real Madrid have yet to announce any official pre-season friendlies or international tours, though they are scheduled to open their La Liga campaign against Osasuna.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain will remain in the United States to contest the Club World Cup final before returning to France.
Luis Enrique’s men will begin their Ligue 1 title defense with an away match against Nantes on the weekend of August 16–17.
Before that, however, PSG will face Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13.
Like Real Madrid, PSG have not yet released full details of their pre-season schedule.
